Argyle Aces Fredericksburg Test; Looks To Win 7th State Championship On Saturday

Next to dynasty's definition in the dictionary is a photo of the Argyle girls basketball program. That's because the Lady Eagles entered Friday's UIL 4A state semifinal against Fredericksburg as the five-time defending state champion. The Battlin' Billies gave them a great fight early, but a late second quarter push allowed Argyle to flip a four-point deficit to a three-point lead going into halftime and set the tone for the rest of their 49-38 victory.

"Today was a really good and tough game for us, but we were prepared," said VYPE Player of the Game Rhyle McKinney. "We didn't give up on it. And it just showed tonight that we can really get big stops on defense and that's just what we're going to have to do tomorrow."

McKinney, who led all players with 20 points and three blocks, helped her team warm up with six-point performances in the second and third quarters.

One hurdle that Argyle faced in the opening half was Fredericksburg's balanced attack that included five different scorers. Freshman Ella Hartmann was among them, scoring eight of her team-high 18 points before halftime. But, six-point first half performances by Brooklyn Carl and Shelby Henches helped the Lady Eagles fly past the competition. They finished with nine and eight points respectively.

Once Argyle had the lead, it didn't give it back. Along with its shooters heating up, its defense assisted in outscoring Fredericksburg 25-17 in the second half.

"We talked about it at halftime," said Argyle coach Chance Westmoreland. "The third quarter, we really needed to lock in on defense [and] make it hard for 'em. I thought the girls did a great job of that."

Argyle will celebrate their annual semifinal victory during Friday's dinner at Fuddruckers, but its players and coaches will start planning for Saturday's UIL 4A state championship and final season opponent Fairfield once they walk through the restaurant's doors.

"Every game's a new game," said McKinney. "Our coaching staff, we trust them 100 percent. They prepare us completely."

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