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Hansen, Eads play their way into the final

Published March 10, 2007 at midnight

AIR FORCE ACADEMY - Cassie Corkle's free throw with two seconds remaining gave North Park a 32-31 victory against Kit Carson on Friday in the Class A girls basketball state semifinals.

Corkle went down with an ankle injury late in the third quarter but returned in the fourth.

"I came down and rolled it when I landed," Corkle said. "It's my last year. I couldn't let it end that way."

Corkle scored eight points in the final quarter, her most important baskets coming late in the period.

The senior drove to the basket and was fouled on the layup. Corkle converted the three- point play, giving North Park a 31-28 lead.

Sara Mays then buried a three-pointer at the top of the key for Kit Carson (21-4) to tie it at 31. After a timeout, Corkle once again drove hard and was fouled with two seconds remaining, sending her to the line.

Corkle missed the first free throw but nailed the second to provide the final margin for North Park (23-1).

"I missed the first and got a little worried," Corkle said. "I just prayed I'd get the next one, and I did."

Kit Carson......6 7 6 12 - 31
North Park......5 6 4 17 - 32

KC - Sara Mays 1 0-0 3, Cindy Mays 3 2-2 8, Tawna McDonald 0 0-0 0, Jill Ball 2 0-0 4, Melissa Jolly 4 2-3 10, Sabrina Dawson 2 0-0 6. Totals 12 4-5 31.

N - Kaitlyn Hanson 2 0-0 6, Josie Goulette 0 0-0 0, Kelsey Souza 0 0-2 0, Cassie Corkle 6 5-7 17, Joy Nameth 0 0-0 0, Renee Gonzales 0 0-0 0, Darlene Gonzales 2 1-2 7, Hillary Rizor 0 0-2 0, Matti Irvine 1 0-0 2. Totals 11 6-13 32.

Three-point goals - KC, Dawson 2, Mays; N, Gonzales 2, Hanson 2.

EADS 40, HAXTUN 33 - Talli Hansen continued her fine play in the state tournament, scoring 13 points to lead Eads.

The victory was extra sweet for the Eagles (23-2), as they beat the team that eliminated them from the postseason last year.

"It felt good," Hansen said.

The Eagles looked dominant early, outscoring Haxtun 7-0 to start the game and holding the Bulldogs (20-5) to only three shots in 2 1/2 minutes.

But Kara Dishman gave Haxtun a pulse. The junior scored all six of Haxtun's first-quarter points and the Bulldogs tightened their defense for the rest of the half.

Points were hard to come by in the second half. The Eagles managed only five points in the third quarter but came alive in the fourth behind Hansen, when she scored seven points to put away the Bulldogs.

"We had to come focused," Hansen said. "(Haxtun is) a good defensive team. We had to play our best."

Haxtun......6 12 6 9 - 33
Eads......9 15 5 11 - 40

H - Mallory Green 1 0-0 3, Kara Dishman 4 6-7 14, Kassie Kroeger 2 4-6 8, Dara Kipp 3 0-0 8, Jessica Pierce 0 0-0 0, Erin Starkebaum 0 0-0 0, Shaylee Salyards 0 0-0 0, Lindsay Kipp 0 0-0 0, Amber Widgery 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 10-13 33.

E - Allison Buck 1 0-0 2, Jordan Barnett 3 4-5 12, Rhaeli Sicklebower 2 0-0 5, Talli Hansen 3 7-10 13, Destiny Saffer 3 0-6 6, Chevaun Glover 1 0-0 2, Cory Adamson 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 11-21 40.

Three-point goals - H, Kipp 2, Green; E, Barnett 2, Sicklebower. Fouled out - Sicklebower.

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