Featured photo by Robert Summerlin
The Parkway Lady Panthers and Haughton Lady Bucs advanced to the second round of the non-select Division I playoffs with victories Thursday night.
Defending state champion Parkway, the No. 5 seed, defeated No. 28 East St. John 56-14 at Parkway, and No. 8 Haughton downed District 1-5A foe and No. 25 seed Airline 49-42 at Haughton.
Parkway (27-6) will host No. 21 Northshore (22-12), which defeated No. 12 Hahnville 43-37, in the second round.
Haughton (28-6) will host No. 24 Thibodaux (18-11), which upset No. 9 Neville 52-41.
Both games will likely be Monday.
In another non-select Division I first-round game, No. 10 Natchitoches Central defeated No. 23 Benton 59-33 in Natchitoches.
In a non-select Division IV first-round game, No. 24 Plain Dealing fell to No. 9 Oberlin 73-19 in Oberlin.
At Parkway, the Lady Panthers dominated from the start. They led 14-3 after a quarter and 30-8 at the half.
Chloe Larry and Dakota Howard led Parkway with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Savannah Wilson added 12.
Zara Baker hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with nine points.
East St. John closed its season 16-13.
At Haughton, Skylar Branch led the Lady Bucs with 23 points.
Shaniya Perkins had 12 and Bella Hammond 10.
Haughton led 9-2 after the first quarter.
Branch scored 11 in the second quarter. Airline picked it up offensively but the Lady Bucs led 24-14 at the half.
With Paige Marshall scoring eight of her 10 points, the Lady Vikings cut the lead to six after three quarters.
Hammond scored six in the fourth and the Lady Bucs made enough free throws to earn the victory.
Airline’s Ke’Zyriah Sykes scored 10 points. Rikiyah Taylor had eight.
The Lady Vikings finished 17-15 in Tucker Cox’s first season as head coach.
At Natchitoches Central, Avery Ryan led Benton with 10 points.
The Lady Tigers fell behind early and trailed 17-6 after the first quarter.
The Lady Chiefs hit nine 3-pointers. Alyssa Cristoff three and scored a game-high 20.
Makayla Gallien also sank three and scored 13.
Natchitoches Central (23-10) visits No. 7 Ruston in the second round.
Benton closed its season 18-16. Head Coach Mary Ward reached 400 career wins late in the season.
At Oberlin, Javaria Gilliam and Jakayla Douglas led Plain Dealing with seven and five points, respectively.
Oberlin hit 10 4-pointers. Megan Manuel had half of this and scored 21.
Oberlin (23-11) visits No. 8 Oak Grove in the second round.
Plain Dealing finished 9-19 under first-year head coach Robby Lockwood.