The Lady Panthers state tournament run, which began in Price last Saturday, and then took them to Richfield, ended on Thursday after they fell to the Wayne Badgers. Wayne used a big first half to build their lead and Pinnacle couldn’t overcome the difference, taking the 56-28 win.
Pinnacle ended the regular season 9-13 overall landing them in the No. 16 spot in the final RPI, which gave them a home playoff game against Tintic, earning the win over the Miners, 50-47. Heather Kerr led the Panthers in the game scoring 22, Jostyn McLean added 13, and Carolina Vasquez added nine in the win.
The win over Tintic earned the Panthers a date with the No. 1 team in 1A, the Monument Valley Cougars. The two teams had faced each other twice in the regular season with the Panthers coming up short in both contests.
This time the game was held in Richfield and Pinnacle held their own in the first quarter, but after that the Cougars turned up their defensive intensity and held the Panthers to a total of 18 points in the final three quarters, handing the Lady Panthers a 64-28 loss. McLean scored 12 in the contest, Kerr had 10 and Vasquez four in the loss.
The loss would drop them into the consolation round to face the Wayne Badgers on Thursday morning. Wayne and Pinnacle met up in tournament play earlier in the season with the Badgers taking a 54-27 win.
In the game on Thursday, the Lady Panthers came out cold scoring just four points in the first quarter. Scoring was at a premium for Pinnacle only putting 13 points on the board in the first half and Wayne took a 32-13 point lead into the locker room.
In the third quarter, the Badger defense was still there, only allowing Pinnacle five points in the third and 10 in the fourth. Wayne closed out the game and the Panthers season 56-28.
McLean scored 15 in the loss followed by Kerr with seven and Kaydance Romero added four.
The Lady Panthers ended the season at 10-15 and could not get a region win. They will lose one senior, Madison Sasser to graduation and will look to the quartet of juniors to step into those leadership roles once again when next season starts.