WESTSIDE — Both the Lady Lions and the Lady Pioneers advanced far enough through regional play to go on to state competition this week.
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GENTRY 63 POTTSVILLE 58
Kendra Boyd scored 17 points as Gentry (21-9) defeated Pottsville (22-8) in the opening round Thursday. Terra Jones added 15 points and Courtney Millsap 10 for Gentry. Jesse Van Es and Michaela Talley led Pottsville with 17 points each.
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SHILOH CHRISTIAN 40 GENTRY 30
Shiloh Christian (25-3) hit four three-pointers in the third quarter as it pulled away from Gentry (21-10) Friday to advance to the championship game. Madison Lowe hit a pair of three-pointers and Hannah Persing made another as Shiloh Christian broke a 16-16 tie and took a doubledigit lead it never relinquished. Gentry went six minutes without a field goal after Kendra Speer’s basket to start the second half. She ended Gentry’s dry spell with anotherbasket with 1:04 left in the third period. Megan Henley led Shiloh Christian with 12 points, 10 coming in the first half. Kendra Boyd scored eight points to lead Gentry.
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PRAIRIE GROVE 48 GRAVETTE 41
Prairie Grove (24-7) used an eight-point run in the second half to defeat Gravette (15-16) Friday and advance to the championship game against Shiloh Christian. Kendra Coyle scored five points during the spurt, and Lacey Beeks’ basket gave Prairie Grove a 38-28lead with three minutes left in the third quarter. Gravette trimmed the lead to five points twice, but that was as close as it would get. Coyle led Prairie Grove with 19 points. Shyanne Nichols and Samantha VanOtterloo led Gravette with 12 points each.
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STATE PLAY
Gravette will play Pocahontas in the state Class 4A tournament at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Heber Springs. Gentry plays Batesville at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Sports, Pages 9 on 03/02/2011