The Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs traveled down to Dexter to even the score against the Lady Cats Thursday evening in the District Championship game.  The Cats had earlier in the season demolished the Bulldogs, beating them by 32 points.

The Lady Bulldogs got on the board first with a 2-pointer in just under two minutes of the first period.  Dexter returned the favor, but with a 3-pointer just 20 second later.

The first period ended with a score of Bearcats 11, Bulldogs 8.  It took over four minutes before the Lady Bulldogs were able to score two more baskets.  The Lady Cats fought back, scoring two points of their own.

With only three minutes left in the half, it was Dexter leading by one point.  When the buzzer sounded for half-time, the Lady Bulldogs had pulled ahead and were now leading by two.  Half-time score, Lady Cats 17, Lady Bulldogs 19.

The Dexter Lady Bearcats came out of the locker room and were determined not to let this championship slip by.  They shot a 3-pointer in the first thirty seconds of the 3rd period and the crowd went wild!

By the end of the 3rd quarter the Lady Cats had surged to 35 points, with the Bulldogs trailing by 8.  Notre Dame began to come back in the first few minutes of the fourth period, scoring 11 points in under four minutes and holding the Lady Cats to only two baskets.

Hannah Noe, #10 a 5'8" junior scored 15 points for the Lady Cats and was crucial in key spots on the court.  “I thought they came out really strong in the beginning,” Noe said about Notre Dame.  “They were fighting for every loose ball, doing everything they could to fight.  They played a really, really good game.

Brittany Harris, #24 one of two seniors for the Lady Bearcats also finished with 15 points.  Mollie Whitehead, #3 a 5'7" junior who was injured in the fourth period by what looked like an elbow to the mouth hit five for the Lady Cats before leaving the game bleeding from her injury.

With just two minutes remaining in the game, it was tied, 41 - 41.  Fans were on their feet, cheering as loud as they could to inspire the girls to win!  The Dexter girls sank one basket and two from the line and with only 36 seconds on the clock, it was 45 to 44 Bearcats in the lead.

Fans were unaware of a last second decision by Coach Chad Allen.  He told Hanna Noe to miss her second free throw.  “I knew we were up two and they could go ahead with a three.  But with two seconds left, I just thought hit the rim, miss it and just let them throw a three-quarter shot up.  It worked out, but I was scared she wasn’t going to hit the rim.”

“I made the first one and coach told me to miss the second one on purpose,” Noe said.  “I don’t think I can miss free throws on purpose.”  She did and Dexter squeezed out a victory to earn the Class 4, District 1 Championship 1^st Place spot.  Final score Dexter Bearcats 48 Notre Dame Bulldogs 46.

"We had a chance and threw the ball away at the end," stated Notre Dame Coach Renee Peters.  "I am disappointed, obviously, that we lost.  It would have been something special for the team to beat Dexter."

Coach Chad Allen spoke of his team, "I thought the girls did a great job of keeping their composure and hit their free throws when they mattered the most.  With a tougher schedule this year, having tighter ball games, this will all help us down the stretch."

The Lady Cats will be back in action next Wednesday, March 6th.  They will play either Farmington or North County at the Mineral Area College in Park Hills at 7:45 p.m.  The Lady Cats are ranked #8 in the state of Missouri and ranked #360 in the Nation.  Way to go Lady Cats! 

The Bearcat Nation is extremely proud of the DHS Girls Basketball Team and wishes them the best of luck next Wednesday evening. 

ONE TEAM ONE DREAM!! GO LADY CATS