By Jack Walker

Staff Writer

After two years of sitting on the sidelines when basketball playoff time rolled around, the Howe Lady Bulldogs battled their way to a second place finish in District 11-2A play with an 8-6 record, to reach the postseason.

It didn't come easy.

Losing one of its best players in a Christmas tournament in Gainesville, Howe re-grouped and battled its was through some key games as the season progressed.

After winning their first Bi-District title in three years with a 49-43 win over Prairiland, the Lady Bulldog season came to an end with a loss to Godley in an area round game.

As is his usual practice, head coach Derek Lands didn't schedule any cream puffs in the non-district portion of the 2010-2011 season.

Howe opened its season against a very talented Melissa team that would go on to finish undefeated in its district.

A 16-2 run by the Lady Cardinals dug too deep a hole for the Lady Bulldogs to climb out of, although they gave it a good shot, outscoring the visitors in the second and third quarters before losing. Katy Courtney led the Howe attack with 11 points.

After a win over Celeste, Howe would take on Pilot Point, Lindsay and Sherman in an eight-day span, and lose all three. Morgan Bailey was the leading scorer in each of those games.

Next on the schedule would be the team's annual trip to Wichita Falls for the Holiday of Lights tournament, where you always get to play some tough, west Texas teams. After beating the Burkburnett JV team to start the tourney, Howe dropped the next two as Bangs and Tolar proved to be too athletic for the Lady Bulldogs.

In the annual battle of Highway 5, Howe beat Van Alstyne 54-41 behind the 20-point night by Bailey.

Following the game with the Lady Panthers, Howe embarked on a three-game string against district teams.

Howe opened with a 54-41 win over a Whitewright team that would get better, week-by-week as the season progressed.

Katy Courtney scored 15 points in the home game against Tom Bean as the Lady Bulldogs got the 58-44 win.

Jennifer Vincent had one of her best games of the season in the post, grabbing 14 rebounds to go with her seven-point outing.

Bells handed the Lady Bulldogs their first district loss, 42-32 as the teams prepared for the Christmas break.

Just as the trip to the FOL tournament is a fixture at Thanksgiving, Howe has, for several years, played in the North Central Texas College Christmas tournament in Gainesville.

Playing without point guard Katy Courtney in the opener, Howe got off to a hot start, then held on to get a first-round win over Gainesville, 54-47. Next up would be Callisburg, a district foe, and Howe played what coach Lands would later call- "our ugliest game of the year." Ugly or not, a win is a win and that's what the Lady Bulldogs got as they edged the Lady Wildcats 38-38 to reach the tournament finals.

Howe is the defending champion in this event, they also won the title in 2006, and they would be facing a familiar foe in the final, a repeat game with Lindsay.

These teams are mirror images, both wear black and white, both play tenacious defense and both have been to this championship game on multiple occasions.

Howe suffered a serious blow early in the contest as Morgan Bailey went down with a knee injury that would turn out to be season ending.

With a big night from Baleigh Hudman who scored 22 points, some key free throws by Courtney and 15 rebounds by Vincent, Howe prevailed 48-40 to win the championship trophy.

The celebrations were short lived as Gunter came to call as district play resumed and the Lady Tigers were on their way to a perfect season in league play. Courtney scored 11 points as Howe's district record fell to 2-2.

Hudman and Courtney each scored 15 points as Howe traveled to Pottsboro and beat the Lady Cards 44-41.

Callisburg proved to be a tough out as they forced overtime before losing, 57-52.

A surprisingly strong S&S team whipped Howe 59-48 as the team completed the first half of district play with a 4-3 record.

Whitewright, a team the Lady Bulldogs beat by 16 at their place to open district play, was on a roll when they came to Howe on January 18. A quick start by the Lady Bulldogs held up as they got a 41-34 win to remain one game behind S&S in the battle for second in the league.

Howe traveled to Tom Bean next and had one of its poorest shooting nights of the year, at least until midway through the third quarter. The Lady Cats were leading, 44-21 with about 12 minutes left in the game when the switch flipped for Howe. Suddenly, the Lady Bulldogs couldn't miss. Howe closed out the third quarter on an

11-4 run, with most of the damage coming from beyond the arc. To start the fourth, Courtney drained a three, then Erin Taylor connected from beyond the arc, followed by a trey from Emily Taylor which forced a Tom Bean timeout. Didn't help, Erin Taylor splashed a three from the right side and Madison Wilson added three more with a trey from the right corner. With Tom Bean crowding the 3-point line, Courtney made a couple of dishes on the inside to Vincent who knocked them down to cut the lead to six. An Erin Taylor 3-pointer cut the lead in half, but the magic had left the building and Tom Bean held on for a 55-51 win.

Howe beat a sliding Bells team and added wins over Callisburg and Pottsboro and got just enough help to move past S&S to claim the second spot in district with their 8-6 mark.

After disposing of Prairiland in the bi-district round, Howe had to face state-ranked Godley in the area round and it was over early as Godly won in a breeze.

A great season for the Lady Bulldgs who lost seniors Gretchen Debner, Amber Thurston and Ciarra King.

Courtney and Vincent were first team, all-district picks and Hudman and Debner were honorable mention selections.