Winnsboro knocks off No. 1 team to reach state tourney

From Staff Reports

Feb. 25, 2008 - STEPHENVILLE - The Winnsboro Lady Raiders knocked off the No. 1 team in the state on Saturday to earn another trip to the UIL State Basketball Tournament this weekend.

Winnsboro, ranked No. 3, outscored Krum, 59-47, in the Class 2A, Region II championship game at Tarleton State University to earn the Lady Raiders' 11th trip to the state tournament.

The Lady Raiders (34-3) will take on Tuscola Jim Ned (31-5) at 8:30 a.m. Friday in the state semifinals at the Erwin Center on the University of Texas campus.

Former Sulphur Springs resident, junior Opal Taskila, led Winnsboro with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Brittany Carter finished with 10 points and three assists. Moriah Gerdes hit three 3-pointers and finished with nine points.

The Lady Raiders took a 21-12 lead in the first period and held a 33-24 advantage at halftime.

Krum was led in scoring by Jessica Hesse with16 points and Kristina Cloud with 14.

No. 3 Winnsboro 59, No. 1 Krum 47

Class 2A Region II Final

Krum 12 12 7 16 - 47

Winnsboro 21 12 9 17 - 59

KRUM - Jessica Heese, 16; Dani Wojciak, 3; Kristina Cloud, 14; Emily Beck, 2; Sunny Burk, 3; Kirsti Degelia, 9.

WINNSBORO - Moriah Gerdes, 9; Macy Morton, 6; Brittany Carter, 10; Sara Senn, 6; Opal Taskila, 17; Victoria Landers, 4; Ashley Watkins, 7.

UIL Girls State Tournament Pairings

Pairings for the University Interscholastic League state girls basketball tournament to be held Thursday-Saturday in Austin:

Class 5A Semifinals

Converse Wagner (36-1) vs. Houston Cypress-Fairbanks (37-2), 3:30 p.m. Friday

DeSoto (38-1) vs. Garland Naaman Forest (30-6), 8:30 p.m. Friday

Finals: 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

Class 4A Semifinals

Cibolo Steele (37-1) vs. Dallas Lincoln (27-4), 7 p.m. Thursday

Plainview (33-3) vs. Dickinson (34-4), 8:30 p.m. Thursday

Finals: 3:30 p.m. Saturday

Class 3A Semifinals

Corpus Christi West Oso (34-0) vs. Kennedale (29-4), 2 p.m. Thursday

Navasota (36-3) vs. Canyon (30-3), 3:30 p.m. Thursday

Finals: 10 a.m. Saturday

Class 2A Semifinals

Winnsboro (35-3) vs. Tuscola Jim Ned (31-5), 8:30 a.m. Friday

Woodville (32-3) vs. Poth (26-7), 10 a.m. Friday

Finals: 2 p.m. Saturday

Class 1A Division I Semifinals

Thorndale (31-3) vs. Sudan (33-4), 8:30 a.m. Thursday

Martin’s Mill (33-4) vs. Lindsay (29-4), 10 a.m. Thursday

Finals: 8:30 a.m. Saturday

Class 1A Division II Semifinals

Rochelle (30-2) vs. Kennard (30-5), 2 p.m. Friday

Follett (29-2) vs. Roby (32-4), 7 p.m. Friday

Finals: 7 p.m. Saturday