The gym in Lebanon had that playoff buzz Friday night. You could feel it before tipoff. Two good teams. A trip to the Final Four on the line.
The Marshfield Lady Jays didn’t panic when things got a little messy early. They just kept playing.
Helias Catholic grabbed the first spark. A Lady Jay turnover led to a quick bucket, and Sofia Doolittle knocked down a jumper to get the Lady Crusaders going. For a moment, it looked like Helias might control the pace.
Late in the first quarter, Peyton Ward stepped up and buried a three-pointer. The kind that quiets the other bench and gets your teammates clapping. Not long after, Tilly Greenfield jumped a passing lane for a steal. She pushed the ball ahead and slipped a pass inside to Quinn Aldridge for the easy finish.
Just like that, the Lady Jays had their rhythm.
Ward wasn’t done either. She knocked down another three later as Marshfield kept building the lead. The defense tightened up too. Helias struggled to get clean looks as the game wore on.
By the fourth quarter, Marshfield was in control.
When the final buzzer sounded, the Lady Jays walked away with a 54–36 win and a spot in the Final Four.
Marshfield will face 10th-ranked Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, in the Missouri Class 5 state semifinals.
That game is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.
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