Cass season ends with loss at Columbia

The Cass Lady Colonels had their 2018-19 season come to a close Wednesday night in Decatur with a 59-43 loss to the Columbia Eagles.

Cass led 17-10 after one quarter and was ahead 25-19 at the intermission, but a huge surge by the host Lady Eagles where they outscored Cass 23-9 in the third quarter put Columbia ahead 42-34 heading into the final period.

Columbia then held off the Lady Colonels to a 16-point win to advance to next Tuesday night’s state quarterfinals. A trio of guards paced Columbia. Sophomore India Terrell scored 18 of her game-high 24 points in the second half. Junior Constance Thomas scored 14 of her 20 points in the final 16 minutes, and senior Shontrice Austin also reached double figures with 10 points. Cass senior Payton Stoddard and freshman Claire Davis (photo above) paced Cass with 11 points each. Alexis Ware followed with nine. Londaisha Smith scored five. Sharia Wade (photo right), Ariana Hames, and Brianna Stephenson had two points apiece. Taryn Callahan added one.

Columbia (21-7) heads to the Class 5A Elite Eight after winning only six games a year ago. The Lady Eagles will face Wednesday’s Wayne County/Harris County winner. Cass finishes the year with a 22-8 record.