The Quitman Lady Bulldogs faced off against Valley View in regional semifinal action on Feb. 24th, falling 42-39 in a heartbreaking overtime battle.

The teams met in a packed gymnasium in Sachse, where energy pulsed through the crowd from the opening tip. Both squads came out firing, matching each other’s defensive intensity and setting the tone for a hard-fought contest that would go down to the final seconds.

Laine Kelly put Quitman on the board first, with a bucket to open the game and another before the end of the first quarter. Autumn Cason contributed four points in the opening period, and Kaylin Sapp added a free throw. The Lady Bulldogs ended the first quarter with a close 9-6 lead.

Kelly continued her strong performance in the second quarter, scoring a basket and adding two free throws. Addison Sapp chipped in with a free throw of her own. After Valley View sunk a three-pointer, Kinsley McCutcheon answered with one of her own from the arc to keep the momentum on Quitman’s side. Annabelle Popek was fouled under the basket and managed to add a point from the free throw line. The Lady Bulldogs headed into halftime clinging to a narrow 18-17 lead.

Valley View came out of the locker room with renewed energy in the second half and tightened its defense, limiting offensive opportunities for the Sapp sisters. Erin VanderSchaaf, Kelly, and Cason each added points in the third quarter, but Quitman trailed by one at the end of the period, 30-29.

Popek opened the fourth quarter with a basket underneath. VanderSchaaf and Cason each contributed another bucket as the intensity continued to build. In the final seconds of action, Kelly was fouled and calmly sank a free throw to tie the game at 36-36, sending the contest into overtime.

The Lady Bulldogs struggled to find their rhythm offensively in the extra period, and were hindered by costly fouls. Cason scored three points late to pull Quitman within three, but time ran out as Valley View secured the 42-39 victory.

Despite the tough ending, Head Coach Blake Hamrick said he was “so proud of them.”

“It’s a tough loss to stomach when you feel like you are the better team,” Hamrick said. “But these girls battled and improved every day for four months, and as a coach, that’s all I can ask for.”

Looking ahead, Hamrick expressed confidence in the future of the program. “Our seniors will be missed, but they’ve helped set the expectation for future classes to follow,” he said. “The bar is set.”