The last shot of Abby Oetting’s career as a Bulldogs guard was a flawless three pointer. It was also the final basket of a memorable season for Mexico.
“It was the best year I could ask …
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![Mya Miller pauses late in the game to reflect on the situation during Thursday's loss to Kirksville in the district championship game. [Eric Mattson]](https://beta.creativecirclecdn.com/mexicoledger/original/20210723-135330-Mexico%20girls%20v%20Kville%203.jpg)
The last shot of Abby Oetting’s career as a Bulldogs guard was a flawless three pointer. It was also the final basket of a memorable season for Mexico.
“It was the best year I could ask for,” Oetting said. “These girls are great.”
After three months of improbable wins, buzzer beaters, comeback rallies and overtime thrillers, the Bulldogs bowed out of postseason play with an uncharacteristic performance, falling to Kirksville 33-28 on Thursday at The Sports Complex.
Mexico had beaten the Tigers twice this year.
It was a gritty affair to start. Riley Blevins won out over two Tigers for an early rebound. Taylor DeMint took a charge and hit the floor hard. But offensively little went right for either side.
Mya Miller tallied the game’s first point from the line after almost two minutes of play. Blevins scored on a long inbound feed from Oetting a minute later. Kirksville didn’t light the board until Corinne Vorkink’s put back with just 2:38
It was 5-3 in Mexico’s favor after one. The second quarter was a reprise of the first, only this time the Bulldogs were silent, until Oetting drained a three with 3:09 on the clock.
Mexico still clung to a 10-9 lead at the break.
“The first half was the ballgame,” head coach Ed Costley said. “We didn’t take advantage of opportunities.”
Miller, Blevins and Riley Thurman kept pace with Vorkink – who was doing most of the Tigers’ scoring, ending with a game high 19 points – through the third. But Vorkink fashioned a personal 8-2 run in the final period.
The Bulldogs never recovered.
“We worked hard, that’s why it’s so disappointing,” Blevins observed. “Sometimes you just come up short.”
Miller led the Bulldogs with 12 points. Oetting and Blevins added 6 each, while Thurman put up 4.
Mexico was an unknown at the start of the season – four freshmen, three sophomores and just one senior made for a young roster. The Bulldogs lost two games early on. But their third defeat, on Jan. 23 in Macon, seemed to inspire the team.
Costley’s squad went on an eight game tear. With Thursday’s loss, Mexico ends the season with a 20-4 record and a lifetime of memories.
“We grew a lot this year, and we learned a lot,” Blevins said.
“It was a great season,” Costley concluded.
