AUGUSTA- Cally Gudroe, Mazie Peach, and Hannah Dean all scored in double figures on Saturday night, leading the Dexter Tigers to their first Class C Girls Basketball State Championship in 18 years with a 48-41 win over Hall-Dale at the Augusta Civic Center.
The first eight minutes saw both teams hold a lead, as it ended 13-13 on a late putback layup just before the buzzer by Peach. Her and Dean each poured in six points in the first quarter for Dexter. Jade Graham had five of the 13 for Hall-Dale. The Tigers would not trail again from that point on, outscoring the Bulldogs in the second 11-7. Gudroe tallied seven of her team-high 15 points in that second period, while Graham scored all seven for Hall-Dale.
Dexter would extend their lead to five by the end of the third quarter, ending on a 6-1 run after Hall-Dale had tied it 30-30 on a basket from Hayden Madore. Dean and Abi Corson put in two free throws each, and Gudroe added a late hoop to make up for the six points to take the lead back. The Bulldogs pulled within 37-36 on a three-pointer by Marie Benoit in the fourth, but the Tigers would put it away by hitting 9-10 at the foul line in the final 3:35.
Graham led Hall-Dale with 17 points and five rebounds, while Madore had nine and AJ Greenhalgh added seven points. Lucy Gray and Benoit contributed three points each, and Torie Tibbetts chipped in two points and six rebounds. Hall-Dale ends their year as the runner-up at 20-2, falling short of winning their second state title in three years and fifth overall. Gudroe had her 15 points to lead Dexter, and Peach tallied 13 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks. Dean recorded 12 points and seven rebounds, and Corson scored eight points. The Tigers, who shot 19-24 at the line in the game (10-14 fourth quarter), caps off a 21-1 season with winning their third gold basketball and first since 2006 when they also defeated Hall-Dale.
Recap by Rich Rotella and Chris Lessner/Photos by Chris Lessner and Anthony DelMonaco
