By Mike Reeder
View Sports Writer

The Boerne High School women’s varsity basketball team reclaimed sole possession of first place in District 27-4A Friday night with an inspired game against Fredericksburg and a little help from arch rival Alamo Heights.

The Lady Hounds had fallen into a tie for first place with Kerrville Tivy on Jan. 22 after losing for the first time in district on the Lady Antlers’ court. Boerne responded with its best game of the season against visiting Fredericksburg, downing the Billies 76-37. Meanwhile, Tivy was falling at Heights 46-32. Boerne improved to 17-8 overall and 6-1 in district. Tivy fell to second place at 5-2, with Alamo Heights and Fredericksburg sharing third place with 4-3 records. Kennedy and Memorial were tied for last place with a single win each.

Boerne had won at home in the first round of district play against the less experienced but much taller Lady Antlers, and actually outshot Tivy from the field in the second go ‘round at Kerrville. The difference came at the free throw line, where Tivy went 15 for 26 while Boerne made good on only two of 10 chances. Tivy’s 13 point advantage at the charity line more than accounted for its 40-31 victory margin.

“One, we didn’t get to the line very much, and two, we didn’t make them when we did,” Boerne Coach Jonathan Tate said. “That was tough to overcome. We got down from the beginning and it’s tough playing behind against such a good defense.”

Forward Caroline Field led Boerne with 12 points.

Tate worried that the loss might carry over to Fredericksburg.

“The girls were really down and I was worried about how much we had in the tank, emotionally,” Tate said. “I didn’t push them too hard. I wanted to let them recover.”

The approach worked. The Lady Hounds hit the court against Fredericksburg with all cylinders firing. The Billies led 7-6 midway through the first quarter when Boerne went on a 13-2 run. Point guard Hilary Lumpkins nailed a three to put Boerne on top 19-9, and when the Billies answered with a three, Field immediately dialed long distance again with the first of her four threes to put Boerne up 22-12 after one period.

The Lady Hounds could do no wrong, converting on fast breaks, scoring off their set offenses and clamping down on defense.

“We wanted to show people that we wouldn’t back down from one loss,” Lumpkins said.

“That may have been our best game,” Tate said. “Just a great effort all around.”

For the third week in a row, forward Maggie Klein shut down one of the district’s top offensive players, limiting Katrina Itz to eight points while scoring ten of her own.

“I just stayed in front of her and made sure she couldn’t get in front of me,” Klein said. “I enjoy playing one-on-one and I take it pretty personal if they score on me.”

Boerne led 37-17 at halftime and 56-28 after three periods. Field led all scorers with 18 points, but eight other Lady Hounds got on the board. Megan Burns just missed double figures with nine points. Morgan Riser, Kendall Siess and Lumpkins each scored eight points, with Siess and Lumpkins each making a pair of threes.