CHOCTAW - An impressive four year run came to an end Thursday for a group of Adair Lady Warrior seniors.

Seniors Chelsey Stricklen, Katey Hatzenbuehler and Tamara Harris had been a part of over 100 Lady Warrior wins, four state tournament appearances and a gold and silver ball.

That terrific run concluded for the trio in the first round of the state tournament Thursday with a stunning 51-47 loss to Morris.

Everything was going Adair’s way in the first half. The opening tip went to Chelsey Stricklen and she went in for the layup. After the first, the Lady Warriors were cruising, 18-9.

Adair held the lead in the second quarter, and were up 31-21 going into the locker room.

But it was apparent in the first half it was going to be tough for the Lady Warriors to find the bucket. A team that usually torched the nets was seeing shot after shot rim out. Luckily, the Lady Warriors were dominating the boards and were able to keep Morris in check.

The Lady Eagles got hot in the second half, and Adair stayed ice cold. Laci Enright cut it to one just before the buzzer, and the once 16-point lead by the Lady Warriors was down to one going into the final quarter, 37-36.

Shanna Harrison laid the ball in to start the fourth and put Adair up by four. Enright got a free throw, and Hailey Robinson hit a layup to tie it up. Harris answered with a jumper to give the Lady Warriors the lead back. But Megan Milroy hit a big three to give Morris its first lead, 42-41. Stricklen got the lead back with a jumper, but Milroy was again true from long range, and Morris was up 45-43. A Chelsie Root jumper tied the game back up, and after a stop, Root hit two free throws to give Adair the lead back. But Suzanne Morgan came up with the two biggest shots of her career, the first an offensive putback, and the second a layup that would give Morris the lead for good. Adair had two opportunities to tie the game or take the lead, but both attempts were missed.

Harris led Adair with 13. Morris held Stricklen to just two points in the second half. She had 11 and grabbed 12 rebounds. Hatzenbuehler grabbed 10 rebounds. Enright led Morris with 14.

The Lady Warriors finished the season 24-2. It was the fifth straight appearance for the school.



Morris 51 Adair 47

A - 18 13 6 10 - 47

M - 9 12 15 15 - 51

A - Tamara Harris 13, Chelsey Stricklen 11, Chelsie Root 8, Shanna Harrison 8, Katey Hatzenbuehler 5, Sarah Costas 2. M - Enright 14, Robinson 10, Morgan 8, Milroy 8, Ashford 4, Wares 3, King 2.