By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
For the Walnut Grove senior class, their high school careers will conclude the same way they commenced.
With a trip to the Class 1 Final Four on the line, the Lady Tigers simply would not be denied, no matter what the scoreboard showed.
The Tigers edged St. Elizabeth in overtime, 41-37, Saturday afternoon at home — punching their tickets, once again, to the Class 1 Final Four in Columbia.
The Tigers now begin preparations for Friday’s tilt against the Chadwick Lady Cardinals.
Head coach Rory Henry, who has had his share of elite senior classes over during his long tenure, said this team — this win — is extra special.
“I am awfully proud of this one. I have coached them since they were fifth graders. That is kind of rare here,” Henry said. “We do have junior high and the different seasons. But I have been able to coach them since they were little. They were freshmen the last time we went to the Final Four. We have been close. I am so proud of them for the effort that they have had, their resiliency and toughness.”
Adversity has hit the team throughout the year, including last month when senior and all-state guard Ellie Smith fully tore her ACL.
Smith is a 3-time all-state player, and most likely, is looking at a fourth.
“Yes, it is fully torn. I recovered as much as I could and built up the muscles up around it. Honestly, it is not that bad. Everyone thinks that it’s that bad. I promise, it is not that bad.”
With the knee stabilized, Smith finished with three points, and her toughness is second-to-none.
“You cannot say enough about that kid,” Henry said. “She is amazing. For four years, she has done just about everything for us. Not everybody can do what she is doing. She is in a lot of pain — you can see it on her face. For her to do it, that is what she wanted, for this town, for this school and the other kids. It is awesome that she is able to do that.”
The Tigers were up as many as five points in the opening quarter before the Hornets closed out the period with the 12-9 lead.
The second quarter also belonged to the visitors, as they led 24-17.
While uncertainly may have presented itself to those in attendance, for the girls on the court, it was same old hat for the Tigers.
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After all, they have been here before.
“We went down to the locker room, and again, it is about toughness and the resiliency of our group,” Henry said of the third quarter. “Nobody had their heads down. Everybody looked like they were locked in, and that is what we needed to see. I knew that we would come out and get a good fight out of them.”
The Tigers authored a 7-0 run to begin the third, which was capped by Kelli Albert’s 3-pointer from the near wing.
After Sadie Loehr’s put-back, the Tigers led 26-24.
Their first lead since two minutes remained in the opening period.
“I was excited. I was proud of them,” Henry said.
The fourth quarter began with Walnut Grove collapsing on the lane and stuffing Reagan Wobbe.
A loose ball picked up by Smith led to her going coast-to-coast, bad knee and all, as she was fouled and dropped the pair from the line, as the Tigers pulled to within three points, 36-33.
Rachael Kruger connected for the 3-pointer and the game was tied at 36.
“That’s the thing. We don’t get too high, don’t get too low,” Henry said.
After a miss and a press attack by the Hornets, with the clock nearing the conclusion, Wobbe’s shot from the arc rimmed out.
In overtime, Kruger penetrated the interior defense en route to the score, as the Tigers extended the lead to 38-36.
Loehr was fouled and made the pair from the line, and Smith dropped in her last point from the charity stripe.
After Wobbe’s 3-pointer was off the mark, Smith, of all people, came up with the rebound to close out the game.
For Smith, that rebound served as a little bit of poetic justice given her injury.
Being able to close out her prep career in Columbia with her counterparts is something she is most grateful.
“I am just happy that I could be out here with my friends, my teammates one more time,” Smith said as she choked back the emotion.
The Tigers play Chadwick at 6 p.m. on March 14 at Mizzou Arena in the Class 1 semifinals.
Scoring for Walnut Grove: Racheal Kruger – 13; Sadie Loehr – 12; Ellie Smith – 3; Jacie Gavisk – 4; Kelli Albert – 9 (all from the perimeter).
Scoring for St. Elizabeth: Reagan Wobbe – 19; Charlize Duemmel – 6; Kinley Kemma – 2; Dani Heckmeyer – 10.
