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By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Mt. Vernon’s Lacy Stokes relished the opportunity to prove that she and her Lady Mountaineers could play with anyone in the state when they faced off with Vashon, the No. 1 ranked team in Class 4, in the state semifinals on Friday.
Mt. Vernon indeed impressed mightily while running away from Vashon 78-55.
The Lady Mountaineers (28-3) felt the Lady Wolverines were underestimating their speed. Vashon (17-2) started the game by trying to push a press on Stokes and company.
“Most teams don’t press us because of our speed,” Stokes said. “I felt they went in unprepared and overlooked us and our speed. We might be slow on film, but in person we’re quicker than a cat. It’s nice to use that to our advantage.”
“We like to make it a track meet,” coach Grant Berendt said.
“We love to run,” guard Ellie Johnston said. “I don’t think they were expecting that out of us. We shocked them.”
Prior to the opening tip, Mt. Vernon players reported they heard what Vashon players thought of them.
“They saw us walking out and said to themselves, ‘These girls are tiny,’” Stokes said. “They were saying we were small. We were like, ‘Whatever you say, we’ll come out and show you how small we are.’”
“They were saying that and I was like, ‘Whaaat?” Johnston said. “That hit us and we came out with the right mindset and blew them away.”
Mt. Vernon easily broke Vashon’s press and repeatedly drove by the Lady Wolverines for layups. The Lady Mountaineers shot 75 percent from the field (21-of-28).
Vashon committed 20 fouls that led to Mt. Vernon’s 29-of-42 free-throw shooting.
Stokes made 21-of-26 free throws on her way to a 39-point night, only three shy of her career-high. She was 8-of-12 from the field. In addition, the 5-foot-4 dynamo recorded six rebounds, five steals and four assists.
Playing on the biggest stage of her life, Stokes hopes she showed that perhaps she could have been an NCAA D-I recruit.
“Yeah, I do actually,” said Stokes, who signed with Missouri Southern State. “Most D-I’s look at big girls and I understood that when I was being recruited. I just thought, ‘You know what, I’ll go make my mark wherever a good coach sees something in me.’ Good coaches see potential in good players.”
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As much as Stokes contributed, the biggest bucket of the night for Mt. Vernon belonged to her cousin, Reagan Boswell. After Vashon rallied to pull within three of the Lady Mountaineers, 48-45, late in the third quarter, Boswell swished a 3-pointer.
“That was a gutsy shot and a huge make,” Berendt said. “I don’t think she thought twice. As soon as she shot it, I thought it looked good.”
Boswell attempted only two field goals all night. Her trey ignited an 8-0 Mt. Vernon run. The Lady Mountaineers outscored Vashon 25-10 over the fourth quarter.
“I noticed they had been playing off of me all night,” Boswell said. “I was ready, my feet were set and I shot it. I thought it was off and I even said, ‘That’s long.’”
“I’m so proud of her,” Stokes said. “To see her come out with confidence to take a big shot like that and hit it, I couldn’t contain my excitement for her.”
Mt. Vernon coaches and players have all but begged Boswell to shoot more.
“When I shoot, it normally goes in so I get in trouble for not shooting a lot,” Boswell said.
“We’ve had screaming matches on the floor,” Stokes said. “One day, I screamed at her, ‘Shoot it!’ She was like, ‘No.’ We go at it, but I’m so proud of her.”
Boswell suffered a torn ACL, MCL, LCL and both meniscus in her right knee during a volleyball jamboree her sophomore year.
“I did it all,” Boswell said. “I re-tore my meniscus and didn’t know if I was going to be able to play basketball this year. The doctor said I could play if my knee held up. I had surgery set for Jan. 8. I made it to that date, so I moved (surgery) back again. Now, my surgery is April 2. The fact my knee has held up for me is a God thing, I know it is.”
Johnston aided Mt. Vernon with a hot hand early, before encountering foul trouble. She scored 16 of her 18 points in the first half.
Boswell is hoping for a dream finish for Mt. Vernon in the state championship game against Boonville.
“My brothers (Will and Ty) made it to State in football and I always thought, ‘Oh, that would be so cool to get to do that,’” Boswell said. “But I never thought I would. This is a childhood dream come true for all of us.”
Mt. Vernon will face Boonville for the Class 4 state title at 4 pm on Saturday at JQH Arena.
