BETHANY — After a quick start, Bethany won its fourth-straight district title with a 69-25 rout of Bristow on Saturday (Feb. 22).

The Lady Bronchos opened the game with a 16-0 run as Bristow racked up five turnovers, unable to contend with the defensive pressure.

“We frustrated them,” Bethany coach Eric Sailer said. “You gotta have the ball in order to score points. I was pretty pleased with our performance in the first half.”

The Lady Pirates turned the ball over 18 times in the first half and Bethany took advantage. The Lady Bronchos led 37-4 at halftime.

Junior Maddison McNutt started the rout by hitting two 3-pointers within the first minute of play.

“That kind of got us in a rhythm,” Sailer said.

McNutt finished with 12 points and had seven steals.

Starting late in the second quarter, Sailer said he was less aggressive with the game well in hand.

“There’s a fine line that you kind of draw, especially with coaches that you know and know well and are good quality coaches and you have relationships with them,” Sailer said of competing with Bristow coach Matt Morgan. “It’s kind of important to kind of not scar those relationships.”

In the second half, Sailer was able to empty his bench and play his backups.

“It’s important for them to still stay engaged. There’s no more JV games and those girls show up to practice. They put in the hard work, just like everybody else does.”

Sailer pointed out that after two big shots by freshman Shayne Vonfeldt, the starters were also engaged.

“I turned around and you got varsity girls that are up cheering around, cheering, waving their playoff towels,” Sailer said. “That’s something cool.”

Senior Kayten Donley scored a game-high 17 points. The Oral Roberts signe added six rebounds and six steals.

Sophomore Ali Linn followed with 15 points and five steals.

Sailer said Linn is “finding her rhythm, being able to get to the basket, being able to hit some open shots, getting fouled and get the free throw line.”

LOFTON, VANN UPDATE

Bethany has played without two of its bigger contributors this season.

Senior Keziah Lofton is working to get back on the floor after a leg injury. Fellow senior Talia Vann re-enrolled at the school recently and being with Grind Prep.

Sailer said Lofton is still waiting on getting cleared from her doctor before returning.

Vann is trying working around an eye issue. He said Vann’s next eye appointment is just before the state tournament, sho she could possibly be available then if the two-time state defending champions make it that far again.

UP NEXT

The Lady Bronchos move on to Regional C in Area 3 Thursday (Feb. 27). Bethany will play Eufaula (13-12) at home. TIpoff is at 6 p.m.

The Lady Ironheads beat Tecumseh, 43-29, Thursday to win their district.

“They’re gonna shoot the three a lot,” Sailer said of Eufaula. “They’re not super huge, so I feel like we’ll have a rebounding advantage and be able to score in the paint.”

Photographs courtesy of Kristie Escoe of Life in Action Photography.

	1	2	3	4	F
Bristow (9-14)	2	2	3	18	25
Bethany (18-5)	16	21	17	15	69