THIS IS LIPAN

THIS IS LIPAN

No surprise Lady Indians take state basketball title 

By DAVID MONTESINO Managing Editor

SAN ANTONIO —This was no surprise.

No offense to the tough, talented and resilient Lady Mustangs of Martin’s Mill High School. But when the Lady Indians of Lipan lifted the trophy that gave them bragging rights as champions of Texas Class 2A girls basketball Thursday, it felt, well, inevitable. Just don’t tell that to Maggie Peacock.

“It doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel real at all,” Peacock said, tears of joy cascading down her cheeks. “This is the moment we have worked for and it is finally here, and it doesn’t feel real.”

This was no dream. This was as real as it comes.

Lipan beat Martin’s Mill 44-39.

“It was overwhelming,” said Chelsea Lott, voted the title game’s Most Valuable Player. “It is an amazing feeling. It’s indescribable actually.”

It was a battle for supremacy on the hardwood court in San Antonio. Martin’s Mill, a perennial Class 2A powerhouse, locking horns with Lipan, a program that had just moved up from Class A.

The Lipan faithful must have ran out of fingernails to chew. Yet they knew, this was their moment. The game was fierce. Entertaining. Dramatic.

“I made that layup, got fouled, hit that first free throw, and it kind of set in,” Lott said of the waning seconds of the game. “Me and Maggie got a huge hug and we both knew.”

ELECTRIC START

When these girls ran into the Lipan gymnasium to open the season against the Lady Badgers of Merkel High School in early November last year, the air was thick with anticipation. Even back then, they knew. Something special was percolating. Lipan was hungry for stiffer competition. Class 3A Merkel would do just fine, thank you very much. The Lady Indians prevailed 47-32. Then came 4A Midlothian Heritage and 5A Cleburne. Win and win.

It was Class 2A blue blood Muenster High that first tripped up these Lady Indians. To be fair, it took a nasty Muenster elbow that knocked Lipan’s star forward Peacock out of the game for nearly a quarter for the Lady Hornets to take control.

Lipan lost two more games: against Peaster and Childress high schools, both class 3A. The next 18 games were Lipan victories. Most were lopsided contests. The Lady Indians were on fire. Unstoppable.

‘WE’RE COMING BACK’

On the court in the Alamodome Thursday morning, they were poised, disciplined and tough.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Peacock said.

But of her girls, she had plenty to say: “I love them. They’re my family. I can’t believe this chapter is over but at least we get to go out with a bang.”

Check that off the list. So, where do these girls go from here? “We’re coming back here next year,” Lott deadpanned.

Of course. And that, too, is no surprise.

david@hcnews.com

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Twitter: @dmontesino