Bishop Brossart's first meeting with Mason County Jan. 22 came in circumstances that were far from ideal.
The Mustangs were two days removed from a two-point loss to Paris in the All "A" 10th Region final.
They were a drained team, emotionally and physically, and lost by 15 points to the Royals.
The stakes were higher last week, as the teams paired up in the 10th Region semifinals. Brossart played a better game than the first time, but the result was the same, as Mason County won, 63-55.
"The first time, we weren't ready to play.
That was our fifth game in eight days," said Brossart head coach Camey Geiman. "We didn't really prepare for them.
"For this, we watched a lot of game film.
We watched the game where we lost to them and kind of took it from there."
Brossart led by six points at halftime and by one with less than three minutes to go in the fourth quarter before the Royals took control.
"They took the lead by one," Geiman said.
"We had to pull out of our 3-2 matchup zone and go to man. They scored two quick baskets to go up by five and they were in the double-bonus."
Senior Theresa Henke and junior Lindsey Watson led Brossart with 14 points each.
Senior Michelle Skinner added eight, junior Katie Duff six, senior Hiliary Butsch five, senior forward Kaitlin Steffen four and freshman Emily Sanker four.
A day before the senior-loaded Brossart boys fell to Mason County, the careers of a deep core of Mustang 12th-graders also ended against the Royals. The group includes Butsch, Henke, Steffen, Skinner, Katelyn Snyder, Chelsea Harris and Michelle Campbell.
Harris, a starting guard, missed the last two months of the season with a fracture of the orbital bone around her eye.
"They had a lot of heart and a lot of passion. They were dedicated," Geiman said.
"All the other seniors stepped up and filled her shoes. Chelsea was on the bench, helping them the entire season.
"It was a great season.
They laid it on the line. I have no regrets.
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