Meadow Heights girls basketball team captures fourth straight district title

GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Seniors Erin Bollmann and Whitney Welker have learned one thing during their four years at Meadow Heights.

The pair has become adept at finding their way to midcourt and hoisting the Class 2 District 3 first-place plaque.

The two were in their customary position Thursday night after the Panthers defeated Lesterville 73-50 in the championship game. The district title was the fourth consecutive for the program, which is in just its seventh year.

Bollmann and Welker are the only two returning starters from a Panthers team that defeated Lesterville in last year's district title game, and the pair proved to be a steadying force against a Bearcats squad that did not go away easily.

"This is more exciting than any year we had," Bollmann said. "We were seen as a team that would never make it. Suddenly we're 22-4 and now we're getting past district and hoping to win sectional to get to the quarterfinals, and win finally."

Meadow Heights senior Erin Bollmann shoots during the second quarter of their Class 2 District 3 title game Thursday in Greenville, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

The Panthers' last three seasons have ended with state quarterfinal losses.

Bollmann finished with a game-high 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Welker scored 24 points and had a team-high 16 rebounds. The pair also combined for 13 steals.

"You can never be satisfied with a district title, but then again you can't be overlooking it," Welker said. "It's still an honor to win each district title, and we work hard for them."

Meadow Heights pummeled Chaffee by 61 points in the semifinals, but led just 19-13 after the first quarter against Lesterville.

The Bearcats went on an 11-5 spurt to pull even midway through the second quarter.

Meadow Heights senior Whitney Welker fights for a rebound with Lesterville's Immerah Bethume during the third quarter of their Class 2 District 3 title game Thursday in Greenville, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

"We were just out of sorts to start out the game, then we calmed down," Welker said. "I think it's some of those jitters whenever you get to the district finals. To be honest, not a lot of us had played in the district finals before, so you have those nerves coming in, but then we finally calmed down and started making shots and playing our game."

The Panthers (22-4) broke away from a 24-24 deadlock with a 14-1 burst over the final four minutes of the second quarter.

Bollmann scored on a drive inside to start a 12-0 run.

"We have to set the tone for everyone else," Welker said. "We have to set the mood and let everyone know it's OK. No matter what, it's going to be fine."

The Panthers scored on eight of their final 12 possessions, and Lesterville's offense went quiet.

Bollmann and Whitney scored the first 10 points in the 12-point run.

Lesterville had only a single free throw to show for its final 12 possessions. It committed four turnovers, went 0 of 7 from the field and 1 of 5 from the line.

Bollmann scored the first basket of the second half to open a 40-25 lead, but the Panthers followed that with a four-minute scoreless drought. The Bearcats went on a 6-0 run during the span, and closed to 40-31 on a Rochelle Thomas basket with 4 minutes left, but the nine-point deficit would be as close as Lesterville would get.

Meadow Heights scored on five consecutive possessions in a 10-0 burst. A basket by Kiana Hotop pushed the lead to 50-31 with 51 seconds left in the quarter.

A Bollmann free throw in the final minute of the quarter gave the Panthers a 20-point lead. Meadow Heights took a 54-36 lead into the fourth quarter and pulled away from there.

"People don't realize that we only had three kids that had played in a district tournament," Meadow Heights coach Mark Verticchio said about the slow start.

Meadow Height will face the District 4 winner at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Park Hills Central.

Lesterville 13 12 11 14 -- 50

Meadow Hts 19 19 16 19 -- 73

LESTERVILLE (50) -- Immerah Bethume 4, Taylor Cook 22, Drew Myers 10, Rochelle Thomas 6, Alexandria Watts 4,/Rosy Williams 4. FG 18, FT 9-16, F 14. (3-pointers: Cook 2, Myers 3. Fouled out: none)

MEADOW HEIGHTS (73) -- Erin Bollmann 28, Caitlin Cook 2, Taylor Cureton 9, Kiana Hotop 8, Hayley Thorne 2, Whitney Welker 24. FG 28, FT 12-19, F 19. (3-pointers: Bollmann, Cureton 3. Fouled out: none)