Cold second half ends PG bid for state

PRAIRIE GROVE — Morrilton, the 4A-4 district and regular season champion, struggled from the free-throw line before pulling away in the second half to beat the team that kept them out of state last year.

Prairie Grove went 9:30 without a field goal and could keep up during a season-ending, 49-31, loss to 4A North Regional host, Morrilton, on its home court Wednesday, Feb. 22.

The first round contest featured a rematch of last season’s barn burner won by Prairie Grove, 39-36, at Cardinal Arena in which they held Morrilton star Cheyanne Kemp to 10 points with no free throw attempts and limited post player Johnna Brockman to nine points with only two foul shots.

The Morrilton duo combined for 36 points this time around, most coming in a big second half when they outscored the Lady Tigers 23-12.

One thing Prairie Grove didn’t want to replicate from the 2022 regional game against Morrilton was a 12-point production over the second half.

Last year the Lady Tigers got away with it when Kemp’s hotly-contested 3-point attempt caromed off the backboard as the final seconds ticked away.

This year, the lack of offense in the second half proved Prairie Grove’s undoing.

Prairie Grove senior Lexi Henry hit back-to-back treys to get the Lady Tigers within, 28-25, with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter, but Prairie Grove wouldn’t get another field goal until Kenleigh Elder’s putback at the 3:35 mark of the fourth.

At that juncture, the Lady Tigers trailed 44-28 and the game was virtually out of reach.

Sophia Wahrmund answered with a 3-pointer for Morrilton and the tourney hosts went on to punch their ticket to state.

Morrilton led 10-8 after the first quarter. Prairie Grove’s only lead of the game occurred with senior Ella Faulk hitting a pull-up to push the Lady Tigers in front, 12-11, with 7:18 showing in the second quarter.

The game was tied at 13-13 before Morrilton went on a 13-6 run over the last 4:51 of the first half.

Henry led the Lady Tigers with 12 points while Faulk added nine in her final game.