Lady Rams give Loboettes a scare before ending season with playoff loss

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Lady Rams give Loboettes a scare before ending season with playoff loss

February 13

08:32 2024

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By DAVID MAY

Special to Mineral Wells Area News

MERKEL – If the 3rd ranked Levelland Loboettes were looking past Mineral Wells Lady Rams in Monday’s playoffs opener, they did so almost to their own peril.

After all, last year Levelland leveled Mineral Wells, 61-16, in the same bi-district round. But the Lady Rams stepped onto the Merkel High School gym floor Monday ready to send a message – that this is not last year’s team.

Junior guard Kahlea Samples scored 14 points to lead a strong Lady Rams effort on both ends of the floor as a young Mineral Wells team stayed within striking distance until the final period, losing a hard-fought 43-31 game.

The loss ended the Lady Rams’ season with an 18-16 mark in head coach Michael Ball’s first season, serving notice this is a team on the rise. Mineral Wells will lose just two players, twin seniors Cadence and Caitlyn Colwell, from a sophomore-laden squad.

Levelland improved to 33-2 with the win.

Samples made three-of-eight field goal attempts and all three of her free throw shots. She recorded five rebounds and three blocked shots before fouling out. She will be ready to return next season as a floor leader for the Lady Rams.

Sophomore guard Jaylee Newman and freshman Aniya Richardson scored six points each. Cadence Colwell had a made three-pointer and sophomore post Emery Boswell scored a field goal.

Mineral Wells served notice early it was not going to be a pushover for the Loboettes. The first period ended 11-9 in Levelland’s favor. The Lady Rams kept things tight in second stanza, trailing just 19-16 at the break. Levelland stretched the lead to five points after the third period before a 13-6 fourth period allowed the Loboettes some breathing room late.

Defensively the Lady Rams gave Levelland fits throughout. The Lady Rams hauled down 25 rebounds, including 17 on the defensive end.

Their post-season performance, despite the loss, should give the Lady Rams confidence throughout the off-season and in preparations for the 2024-25 season.