Tom Dodge
It was a feisty finish as St. Edmund battled to a 45-32 win over rival Sacred Heart of Ville Platte Thursday in the opening round of the LHSAA Division IV girls basketball playoffs.
The No. 16 Lady Jays (11-17) travel to No. 1 seed Lafayette Christian Academy (29-5) for a 6:30 p.m. Monday regional round contest.
The defenses dominated the game game early as the Lady Jays took a 7-6 advantage into the second quarter.
Kinsley Marcantel led St. Ed’s with four points in the period, while Savanah DeVillier added three points.
Olivia Hernadez led the No. 17 Lady Trojans (8-17) with four points in the period as teammate Lauren Shipp added a bucket.
The second quarter saw both teams managed offensive surges, begun with a 9-0 Sacred Heart run.
After Blaire LaFleur scored, Shipp followed with a trey to begin her seven point scoring barrage.
Trailing 15-7, the Lady Jays responded with a 6-0 run including four points from Anna Belle Fontenot and a put-back bucket by DeVillier.
Shipp scored three straight points to keep the Lady Trojans ahead, 18-13.
Devillier hit a free throw and later scored in the lane with 40 seconds left to help St. Edmund close the gap to 18-16 at the break.
Sacred Heart came out of the locker room with a 5-0 run, aided by three free throws from Blaire Lafleur to push the Lady Trojans up, 23-16.
Rebecca Benoit scored on an inbounds pass ad DeVillier added an inside bucket to help SEH close the margin to 23-20 with 2:09 left in the quarter.
After a Lady Jay technical foul, Sacred Heart went on a 3-0 run and extended the lead to six points.
St. Ed’s Mary Beth Lafleur hit two free throws and Marcantel added one at the stripe to help the Lady Jays pull closer, 26-23.
Anna Beth Briley hit two free throws with seven seconds left to give the Lady Trojans a 28-23 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Lady Jays took control of the game in the final frame, outscoring Sacred Heart, 22-4.
A lay-up after a steal by Marcantel along with a junper by senior Jill Simpson helped St. Ed’s force a 29-29 tie with 5:35 left int the game.
Parrott responded with a bucket to give the Lady Trojans a two-point advantage.
A pair of baskets by DeVillier and two free throws by Mary Beth Lafleur lifted the Lady Jays to a 35-31 lead midway through the quarter.
Blaire LaFleur hit a free throw for the Lady Trojans, but Mary Beth Lafleur responded with five straight points for the Lady Jays.
After Rebecca Benoit hit a free throw, Marcantel sealed the Lady Jay victory with two free throws and a layup after a steal in the final seconds.
DeVillier led St. Edmund with 14 points, while Marcantel chipped in 11 and Mary Beth Lafleur added nine points.
Shipp led Sacred Heart with 14 points, while Blaire LaFleur added 10 points.