Fouke girls win 30th game, qualify for state tournament
MONTICELLO, Ark. — Fouke girls achieved another milestone Wednesday, notching their 30th victory of the season in the 4-3A regional basketball tournament at Drew Central’s gymnasium.
The Lady Panthers won their 30th game for only the second time in school history, a lopsided 73-37 triumph over DeWitt.
Fouke is now 30-3 this year. “That’s a milestone that hasn’t happened since 1989,” said Panthers coach Mo Williams.
Williams also coached Fouke in 1989, when the Panthers posted a 33-5 record, the best in school history. The
Panthers reached the state semifinals that season.
Fouke made nine 3-pointers against DeWitt and connected on 12-of-17 from the free throw line.
“I felt like our girls handled the pressure of the game well,” coach Williams said. “We came out aggressive and stayed aggressive. That’s what we have to do each game if we want to keep moving forward.”
The Panthers jumped out to an 18-5 first-quarter lead and then went on a 44-26 run in the second and third periods to build a commanding 62-31 lead entering the final quarter.
Nailah Zetrenne led Fouke with 14 points, Connie Ross added 13 and Paige Attaway 10. AC Cox scored a gamehigh 23 points for DeWitt.
The Panthers advance to the regional semifinals where they will face the winner of today’s Dumas (20-7) vs. Jessieville (17-8-1) game. McGehee (16-3) also won its quarterfinal game Wednesday, beating Harmony Grove, 70-33.
The Panthers’ semifinal contest will tip off at 4 p.m. Friday. The championship game is set for 6 p.m. Saturday.
With Wednesday’s victory,
Fouke also punched its ticket to the state tournament at Lamar High School, which is located about 20 miles northwest of Russellville, Arkansas. Lamar is about 245 miles from Fouke.
Under Williams’ guidance, the Panthers have reached the state tournament six times in 11 years, and those have been six of the last seven seasons.
Fouke went to four straight state tournaments in 2017, 2018, 2019 (Elite Eight) and 2020. They went last year, where they lost to eventual state champion Bergman, 7969.
Bergman beat Lamar, 6642, in last year’s title match.
Williams’ first state-bound team in 1989 ending the school’s 28-year drought.