Lady Wildcats' season ends with loss to Leyton

SIDNEY – For the top-seeded Leyton Lady Warriors, it was mission accomplished in their first postseason game of 2015.

The Warriors (10-11) found little resistance in their 40-21 win over the No. 4 Banner County Lady Wildcats in the semifinals of the D2-11 subdistrict tournament at the Cabela's Athletic Facility in Sidney last Tuesday night.

Leyton moved on to the championship game last Thursday to top South Platte, 40-37. They now take on Crawford this Friday in the district title game.

Once the Warriors' Kaitlyn Berner dropped in a layup with 7:17 left in the opening quarter for a 2-0 lead, Leyton was ahead to stay. Berner was followed by baskets from Shaela Jenkins, Diedra Waite, and Dani McKay to establish a 9-0 lead before Paige Cross broke the ice for Banner County.

At the sound of the first horn, the Warriors had a 17-4 lead. MaKenna Dahlgrin gave the Wildcats one of their few highlights of the second period by completing a three-point play. But Leyton kept up the pressure with a 16-7 period and a 33-11 lead heading into the locker room at halftime.

The Warriors offensive production dipped considerably in the second half, but they kept up the defensive pressure in the early going. Leyton spent much of the first 20 minutes of the game applying a full-court press to the Wildcats. By the midway point of the third quarter, Newkirk called off the press, but still Banner County struggled to make much offensive headway.

The quiet third quarter ended with Leyton adding three points to its lead as it outscored the Wildcats 5-2. Cross kept Banner County from being shutout in the frame by sinking a layup with 18 seconds left.

A turn-around jumper off the finger tips of Waite was the only field goal the Warriors managed in the final quarter, but by then the deal had already been sealed.

Cross led the Lady Wildcats with 10 points, while Dahlgrin added five. Dahlgrin led the team with seven rebounds.

Banner ended the season 3-17 overall.