Tompkins gets payback against Cy Woods
The University Interscholastic League will crown a new Class 6A girls state champion next month.
Tompkins knocked off defending champ Cypress Woods 69-62 in the first of two Region III area-round playoff games Friday at Morton Ranch, avenging last year’s 61-point playoff loss in the process.
Cypress Ranch (22-11) beat Katy 57-45 in the second game.
“It’s so exciting,” senior post player Brittany Panetti said. “We all worked so hard for this, and it’s a big accomplishment and dream for all of us.”
Tompkins (28-8) and Cypress Ranch will meet in the regional quarterfinals Tuesday at the Merrell Center.
The Falcons made the playoffs and shocked Bellaire in the first round in their inaugural campaign.
Short of expectations
But a brilliant first year ended in bitter disappointment.
The Wildcats rolled over them 80-19 en route to the 6A championship — and Tompkins made sure it didn’t forget.
“We wanted them to remember how that felt,” Tompkins coach Tamatha Ray said. “That’s been our mantra all year long. We started on the first day of postseason, and we said 61 never again (and) they walked into that locker room (Friday) and said the same thing — 61 never again.”
Tompkins’ third-place showing in District 19-6A fueled the fire.
“We feel short of our own goals and expectations,” Ray said.
“But once you start playoffs, it’s a clean slate.”
It’s also another tourna- ment, where the Falcons excelled this season.
‘It all came together’
They won the Katy and Spring Branch tournaments and a consolation title in Mansfield.
Kendall Rollins carried the Falcons early. The senior forward scored 11 in the first quarter, including seven straight at one point, giving them an 11-9 lead with a 3 at the 3:09 mark.
Rollins had 18 of her 22 points at halftime, but Woods held a slim 31-30 advantage.
Then 6-9 center Nancy Mulkey picked up her third foul 27 seconds into the third and didn’t return until 6:59 remained in the game.
That’s when Panetti went to work inside. She scored 18 of her game-high 24 in the second half, consistent- ly hitting her short turnaround from the right side.
Her layup for a 52-50 edge with 4:53 left gave them the lead for good.
“I got great passes from the guards — Alison (Goss), Sarah (Goss), Kendall and Kaelyn (Echiverri) — and it all came together,” Panetti said.
Tompkins finished the win at the free-throw line, hitting 19 of 23 in the fourth.
It scored its final 13 points at the line, with Alison Goss — who also hit two buzzerbeating 3s in her first game back from a knee injury — going 6-for-6 at the stripe in the final 34.7 seconds. “She’s money,” Ray said. Cate Reese led Woods (25-7) with 23 points. Jasmine Williams added 21.