SANGER - Fans at Sanger on Tuesday night were treated to the final district meeting between Argyle and Sanger for at least the next two years, and the stakes could not have been higher.
A week after being separated into separate districts for the next two years, the girls basketball teams met in a winner-take-all game for the District 9-3A championship and a first-round bye in the playoffs, which begin next week.
For the Lady Eagles, the result wasn't much better than the teams' previous meeting as Sanger topped Argyle 47-34 to complete a season sweep and wrap up its second straight district title.
"I think a lot of it is the matchups," Sanger head coach Jack Armstrong said about his team's two decisive victories over Argyle this season. "Our size hurts them, I think. They really want to work the high-low game and our post can get you out of that pretty easily. It's hard to shoot over a 6-foot-3 girl."
In the teams' previous meeting, Sanger throttled Argyle 42-17 on Argyle's home floor. Argyle has beaten the other district opponents by an average of 19.8 points per game.
On Tuesday, Sanger was once again led by its 6-3 senior post Julieh Clark, who scored a game-high 13 points with two blocked shots, causing havoc for Argyle on both ends of the floor.
Argyle freshman post Delaney Sain entered the game as the team's leading scorer but was held to five points, thanks in large part to the defense of Clark and backup post Jamie Barnes, who is 6-1.
"Our leading scorer is Delaney Sain and you probably didn't see that tonight," Argyle head coach Skip Townsend said. "When you have a 6-3 and a 6-1 down there banging on her, it's a lot for a freshman. These are big games for her to play. One of these days she's going to be a great player but she struggles against that team, and they make her struggle."
Sanger (22-12, 9-1 district) will now have the luxury of resting until late next week and will get to watch their two possible second-round opponents play in the bi-district round. The Lady Indians will face either Lovejoy or Carrollton Ranchview.
"Any time you get one step further and you get to watch the team play in front of you, that only makes [the first-round bye] good," Armstrong said.
The Lady Eagles (16-15, 8-2) await the third-place team from District 10-3A - Commerce or Van Alstyne - as their bi-district opponent in a game that will take place early next week.
The first half was a sloppy one for Argyle as the Lady Indians' quickness on the perimeter, led by junior point guard Taylor Jones, gave the Lady Eagles fits.
"It's just a lot of mistakes," Townsend said. "We don't know when to shoot, when to pass or when to drive. All we know to do is if coach says to pass there, pass there. That's all we know. We're not mature enough basketball players yet to get out there and do what we're supposed to do."
Townsend also said his team needs to show the desire the Lady Indians do every time they play their fiercest rival.
"Any time we play them they play like they want to win more than we do, and I just really think they want it more than we do now," Townsend said. "They have some seniors that want to go far this year."
Boys
Argyle 59, Sanger 52
The Argyle boys remained perfect in district play with a win over rival Sanger.
The Eagles (24-7, 8-0 District 9-3A) were led by post Andrew Resch's 15 points and point guard Zach Dickerson's 14 points. Connor York added 10 points in the victory.
The Indians (9-19, 3-5) were led by Collin Crutsinger, who scored a game-high 18 points.
The Indians' highlight of the game came with under a minute to play when fans began chanting "John Johnson," in reference to the Indians' star player who has missed his entire senior year because of a knee injury suffered in the offseason.
Sanger head coach Rob Sikora inserted Johnson into the game and he took one shot, a 3-pointer that hit the front iron and bounced away.
ADAM BOEDEKER can be reached at 940-566-6872. His e-mail address is aboedeker@dentonrc.com .
Girls
SANGER 47, ARGYLE 34
Argyle
9
6
12
7 - 34
Sanger
12
7
20
8 - 47
Argyle (16-15, 8-2 District 9-3A) - Morgan McInaney 4, Kate Walker 4, Kim Strelke 9, Delaney Sain 5, Jesse Sheridan 9.
Sanger (22-12, 9-1) - Mackenzie Niday 2, Brittany Donelson 11, Kierstin Bradley 4, Taylor Jones 7, Candace Prater 4, Julieh Clark 13, Jamie Barnes 6.
Boys
ARGYLE 59, SANGER 52
Argyle
21
16
12
10 - 59
Sanger
14
14
11
13 - 52
Argyle (24-7, 8-0 District 9-3A) - Chadd Bossow 3, Zach Dickerson 14, Connor York 10, Spencer McCloud 8, Andrew Resch 15, Nick Ralston 3, Clarke Overlander 4, Chase Kammerer 2.
Sanger (9-19, 3-5) - Wilding Smith 5, Colt Ritzel 4, Brennan Bloom 6, Joe Doles 5, Tanner Thomas 3, Jay Cain 7, Jake Stastny 4, Collin Crutsinger 18.
