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By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Dora Lady Falcons won their second straight Class 2, District 10 title Friday night with a win over the Cabool Lady Bulldogs, 50-43.
Hailey Shannon led all scorers with 29 points for Cabool, and Dora’s Cassidy Hambleton had 24 points.
“We knew it would be tough,” said Dora head coach Cole Garnette of his team’s third match-up of the year against Cabool. “Their gym, their home court…any time you’re playing in a district championship, you’re playing someone who’s pretty good, and you need to show up to play. They made it a game.”
Garnette said his two seniors, Cassidy Hambleton and McKenna Miller, led the way for the Lady Falcons. “Those two have really stepped up,” he said. Hambleton, an all-state point guard in the 2020-2021 season, is currently averaging 32 points per game and is the reigning district player of the year. Miller contributes on defense with strong communication and rebounding. “She is our heartbeat and keeps us positive,” said Garnette. “She’s the teammate who pats you on the back and says, ‘Hey, you’ve got this.’”
Cabool head coach Rance Beller said advancing to this point in the post-season is a milestone for his Lady Bulldogs. “From what we can tell, this was our first time to ever be in the district championship game,” he said. “I have been here 17 years, and it is definitely the first one since I’ve been here. I’m happy for our kids. I told them everybody in the state would switch places with you, you just want to have that chance.”
Cabool struggled to make shots fall in the first, but Makalah Watson put the Lady Bulldogs on the board with a big shot from downtown. Chesney Luna answered with her own deep three, and Dora stepped up their defense; the Lady Falcons drew a charge and pulled down rebounds to close the frame with an 8-3 lead.
In the second, Dora once again outscored Cabool by 5. Autumn Nold and Cassidy Hambleton added buckets and went into the locker room with a 19-9 lead for the Lady Falcons.
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“I felt like we were fortunate to only be down 10 at the half, because we hadn’t shot the ball well at all, and then we came out and made a run,” said Coach Beller of his Lady Bulldogs.
Hailey Shannon caught fire in the third, connecting early on a three and following it with a rebound and another shot from downtown. Shannon then dished the ball to Makalah Watson, who put up her own three, and a Shannon free throw brought the Lady Bulldogs within two points. Luna answered from behind the arc for Dora, and a Hambleton jumper closed the third with the Lady Falcons leading by 7, 32-25.
Shannon put up 16 of Cabool’s 18 points in the fourth, including three three’s and four free throws. Dora also had 18 points, 11 from Hambleton, including 7 from the charity stripe.
The Lady Bulldogs will lose two seniors: Morganne Aaron and Hailey Shannon. “Morganne Aaron was a move-in a couple of years ago and can play multiple spots on defense and hit a shot,” said Coach Beller. “Hailey Shannon is our everything, our leading scorer and rebounder. She can post up or get her own shot, and has meant a lot to the program. She ends her career as Cabool’s all-time leading scorer. Those are big shoes to fill next year,” he said.
The Lady Bulldogs end their season with a 15-10 record, and Dora moves to 19-8 on the year. The Lady Falcons will next take on the winner of the District 9 bracket at 6:00 pm, March 2, in Lebanon.
Scoring for Dora: Cassidy Hambleton, 24; Chesney Luna, 13; McKenna Miller, 5; Autumn Nold, 6; Callen Depriest, 2.
Scoring for Cabool: Hailey Shannon, 29; Makinley Aaron, 6; Makalah Watson, 6; Paige Watson, 2.
