by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Getting 23 points from Lauryn Snipes and 18 from Carlie McComb, the Wellington Crusaders opened the post season with a monstrous 53-42 victory against Winfield Thursday evening at Rose Hill.

Going on a 14-3 run to start the third quarter, Wellington would break open a tight ball game to win by double digits. Winfield would never get within 9 in the fourth quarter for the win.

“It was a great team effort,” said Eric Adams, Wellington head girls basketball coach. “When you start in November, you just want to give yourself a shot at getting to Salina and the girls have done that. I’m a very proud coach.”

Wellington would maintain a lead for all but 30 seconds of the second quarter over Winfield – a team it beat during the regular season by a similar score. 

“We started off slowly in a really sloppy start to the game,” Adams said. “But we played physical ball and that kept us in the game early.”

The score was 4-all after 4 minutes in the game, but Wellington picked it up and got a Snipes trey at the buzzer to put the Lady Dukes in front 11-6.

Winfield would start the second with a 8-2 run and took its only lead at the 4:34 mark of the second 14-13. Senior McComb would get two driving layups to stop the momentum and put Wellington up by five, 19-14. The Crusaders led 21-16 at the half.

The Crusaders couldn’t have started better in the second half as Kelsey Whaley and Snipes set the wheels in motion with two deuces to open the half. McComb’s trey completed the 10-0 start for Wellington, and really that was your game. Wellington had turned it to a 31-16 lead.

Winfield never made much of a run in the fourth quarter. Aside from two easy layups off turnovers, Wellington controlled the tempo offensively. The Crusaders then helped itself immensely at the foul line going 12-of-18 in the fourth quarter alone. For the game, Wellington was a solid 20-of-30 from the charity stripe.

Wellington will play the winner of Mulvane-Rose Hill. It appears to be Mulvane, which is leading Rose Hill 37-18 in the third quarter at this writing.

Winfield 6 10 7 19 — 42

Wellington 11 10 14 18 — 53

Scoring: Winfield – Griffith 14, Bertholf 13, Pingry 3, McNutt 4, Wingett 8. Winfield 8 (6) 8-15 42. Wellington – French 6, Wright 1, Snipes 23, Whaley 5, McComb 18. Total 9 (5) 20-30 53.

Wellington stats: FGM-A(3FGM-A): French 1-2, Wright 0-2, Snipes 7-11 (2-3), Whaley 2-4 (1-2), McComb 4-11 (2-4), Ledesma 0-1, Salvador 0-3. Total: 14-34(5-9).

Rebounds: French 10, Wright 2, Snipes 4, Whaley 1, McComb 7, Ledesma 5, Salvador 6. Steals: Wright 1, Snipes 1, Whaley 2, McComb 2, Ledesma 1.

Assists: French 3, Snipes 1, McComb 1, Ledesma 2, Salvador 2.