by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The South Haven girls basketball team, picked as low as fifth in the South-Central Border League preseason polls,is going to state under the direction of first year head coach Eric Adams.

The Cardinals beat down-the-road Caldwell 40-36 in the sub-state championship in Udall Saturday evening. South Haven (16-7) will play Hoxie (23-0) on Wednesday in the Class 1A Division 1 state tournament in Emporia.

The state tournament schedule is as follows:

At White Auditorium, Emporia

Wednesday’s Quarterfinals

South Haven (16-7) vs. Hoxie (23-0), 3 p.m.; Centre (17-6) vs. St. John (21-2), 4:45; Hanover (14-7) vs. Olpe (23-0), 6:30; Bucklin (17-5) vs. Thunder Ridge (18-4), 8:15.

Friday’s Semifinals

Centre-St. John winner vs. South Haven-Hoxie winner, 3 p.m.; Bucklin-Thunder Ridge winner vs. Hanover-Olpe winner, 6:30.

Saturday’s Championship Round

Third-place game, noon

Championship, 4 p.m.

•••••

As for Saturday night, South Haven avenged a loss to Caldwell that cost it a shot at winning the SCBL outright.

“I was blessed with wonderful kids,” said Eric Adams, South Haven girls basketball coach. “They were able to pick it up in the second half. What a great win.” 

South Haven’s third quarter surge proved to be the difference in this game. Caldwell took a 14-12 lead at the half.

When Lexie Rice nailed a trey, Caldwell had expanded the lead to 17-12. South Haven then went to work going on an 11-point run.

Baylee Jacobs would score six of those points inside the post. Ashton Barlow hit a trey. When the run was over South Haven held a 23-17 lead. But then Caldwell went on a run.

Rice, who ended the game with 14 points, hit her second trey and followed that with a deuce. The Bluejays were only down 23-22. Two Launa White free throws ended a very entertaining quarter 25-22.

South Haven would build the lead back up to nine and led 31-22 for another eight-point run with 4:48 to play. South Haven maintained that lead going into the final minutes

Caldwell then made its final spurt, narrowing the game to 5 on a Carli Ward deuce. Barlow would penetrate inside for a layup and foul to make it 36-28 with more than a minute to play.

The final stretch saw Caldwell continue to threat, but the Jays unable to pull closer than four. The final Bluejay basket, originally called off, was eventually called a basket. It didn’t matter. South Haven had this victory in hand.

See pictures of the game here.

South Haven 40 Caldwell 36

Caldwell 8 6 8 14 — 36

South Haven 3 9 13 15 — 40

Caldwell: Rice 14, Ward 4, K. York 8, Lebeda 2, Arnold 6, Arnett 2. Total: 11 (2) 8-12 36. Barlow 11, Harris 7, Lathers 2, Turek 2, White 4, Jacobs 14. Total 12 (1) 13-19 40.