There were only two games in District 1-5A Friday night, but the results of those tightened the race considerably.
Parkway suffered its first district loss, falling to Captain Shreve 47-43 on the road. Benton also suffered a tough loss, 58-56, at Southwood.
The other two 1-5A games — Natchitoches Central at Haughton and Airline at Byrd — were postponed.
Parkway (12-2, 4-1) and Captain Shreve (10-5, 4-1) are tied for first. Southwood (17-7, 4-2), Benton (10-6, 3-2) and Natchitoches Central (6-5, 1-2) all have two district losses. The Lady Chiefs have had three straight district games postponed as has Airline (10-10, 0-3). Haughton (7-14, 1-3) has had two of its last three postponed.
In District 1-3A, Bossier fell to Loyola College Prep 49-48 in overtime at home.
In a District 1-1A, Plain Dealing extended its winning streak to four with a 43-30 victory over Ringgold at home.
At Captain Shreve, Parkway trailed 15-13 after the first quarter quarter. The Lady Panthers then held the Lady Gators to two second-quarter points and led 25-17 at the half.
Shreve cut one point off the lead in the third and Parkway took a 35-28 lead into the fourth.
But the final quarter belonged to Shreve. The Lady Panthers went five minutes without scoring as the Lady Gators rallied.
Shreve scored 19 in the final period, just nine less in the three previous combined. Parkway tallied eight.
Sh’Diamond McKnight led the Lady Panthers with 16 points. Mikaylah Williams added nine.
Captain Shreve’s Jordan McLemore scored 10 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter.
Parkway shot just two free throws in the fourth quarter, making one. Shreve shot three free throws in the first half and 16 in the second. McLemore sank 5-of-9 in the fourth.
The Southwood-Benton game was similar to Parkway-Shreve.
Benton led 43-36 after three quarters but Southwood rallied in the fourth to win it.
Jada Anderson led four Lady Tigers in double figures with 19 points. She scored 15 in the second half, including seven in the fourth.
Riley Grace Stanford hit three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. Marissa Schoth and Ella Kate Malley had 10 each.
Kennedee Shelton led Southwood with 19 points with 17 of those coming in the second half. KeAndra Barfield added 14 and Jermesha Frierson 12.
Free throws were a key factor in the fourth. Benton shot just two in the fourth quarter. Anderson made both.
Southwood shot 11 but the Lady Cowboys didn’t take complete advantage, making just five.
At Bossier, the Lady Kats’ Sanaa Brown continued her outstanding season, scoring all of her 35 points in regulation before fouling out.
She scored Bossier’s lone basket in the first quarter as Loyola jumped to a 10-2 lead. Brown pumped in 14 in the second and the Lady Kats (3-11, 1-1) led 18-16 at the half.
Brown scored 11 in the third and Bossier led by five win eight minutes left.
Loyola (9-7, 2-0) rallied in the fourth and the game went into overtime tied at 41.
Bossier’s Sha’Coreiya Williams hit a 3-pointer in overtime.
Loyola’s Tiffany Siharath scored was 8-of-8 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter and finished with a team-high 24 points. Gabby Moore scored five of her 17 points in overtime.
At Plain Dealing, the Lady Lions improved to 5-5 overall and 2-0 in district. Ringgold dropped to 5-9 and 0-1.
