Mexico threw the kitchen sink at Kirksville.

The No. 6 Lady Bulldogs opened their Class 4, District 8 Tournament game against No. 3 Kirksville in a triangle-and-two zone. They started scrappy, forcing consecutive jump balls in what looked like what may turn out to be a physical, grind-it-out game.

That didn’t last long however, as the Lady Tigers settled in and everything seemed to be falling.

So, the Lady Bulldogs mixed it up and tried their luck with a 2-3 zone defense, but it made little difference. Kirksville freshman Ellie Porter banked in a 3-pointer — a shot that was a perfect summary of the first quarter—as the Lady Tigers took a 15-4 lead after one. Eventually Mexico fell 62-38 in the season-ending loss.

“We were trying to keep them off balance and not let them get a rhythm with their dribble-drive,” Mexico head coach Ed Costley said of his team’s multiple defensive looks. “Once they got a couple wide-open looks and just got in rhythm, they’re tough to stop.”

On the other side, Mexico had little trouble breaking the Kirksville full-court man press. And after getting into the half-court, the Lady Bulldogs had a number of clean looks, they were just unable to connect.

“You miss layups against a good-shooting team, it usually turns into a wide-open game for them,” said Costley. “We had to just do a better job of that and we didn’t.”

The second quarter played out in similar fashion, with Kirksville either knocking down shots or getting offensive rebounds and second and third attempts, and Mexico unable to pry the lid off its basket.

Costley continued to throw whatever he could at the Lady Tigers, trying his team’s hand at an extended 2-1-2 zone with occasional traps, and finally, going straight man-to-man. 

“We weren’t going to try to get a steal every time, but we were just trying to get them out of rhythm and maybe someone else takes a shot early for them that they weren’t expecting to take,” Costley said. “But again, their role players knocked down shots when they needed to.”

Kirksville cooled off from deep, but even when the Lady Tigers missed, they continued to snag offensive boards and get multiple looks.

“Part of the offensive rebounding concern was keeping [Corinne] Vorkink off the basket,” said Costley. “And I thought we put so much effort to try and keep her off that next thing you know all their guards are picking up loose-ball rebounds.”

Mya Miller had done the Lady Bulldogs’ damage early, scoring all four of the team’s first-quarter points. Then in the second Riley Thurman helped provide a spark. First, Thurman broke a defender down off the dribble and dropped a dime to Miller for an and-1. She followed with a drive and bucket of her own to help Mexico enter the break trailing 25-10.

Miller and Thurman attempted to pull Mexico back within striking distance in the third.

Miller connected on an up-ahead pass to Thurman for a score to start the quarter, and then Miller scored on a step-through layup to follow. But Kirksville pounded the rock inside and Vorkink scored six in the frame to keep Mexico at bay. 

The Lady Bulldogs trailed 36-14 midway through the third and 42-17 to start the fourth, but they continued to fight. 

Capri’Ona Fountain was everywhere on defense, deflecting passes, diving on the floor and passing out forearm-shivers to any Kirksville opponent she met chasing loose balls. 

“There was a moment when I told her, ‘Watch what 15 is doing, working hard,’” Costley said of Fountain. “And she went in like she wanted the challenge of going after her, and she really worked hard.” 

Offensively, Miller and Thurman continued their attack as well. Thurman opened the fourth with a 3-pointer and then a turnaround bucket inside—scoring nine of her 13 in the quarter—and Miller tallied eight in the frame, but Kirksville was just too much to handle, with the lead swelling to 25.

“It’s good to see that you don’t have anybody shutting down for you and everyone is still competing in that moment,” said Costley. “You’d obviously like to see it be a different outcome for your seniors and the team in general, but always pleased with the effort of this group and I couldn’t ask for more from them.”

Miller led Mexico with 21 points, Riley Thurman finished with 13, Alexis Willer scored two and Jordyn Thurman and Ruby Haefling each added a free throw.

Mexico finishes the season with a 16-10 record and will say goodbye to seniors Riley Thurman, Taylor DeMint, Miller and Haefling.

“I appreciate the four years they’ve given us,” Costley said of his seniors. “Really a lot of hard work, a lot of effort, some great seasons throughout the years and last year the outstanding season they were a part of. We started out the year kind of that way until we hit a bump in the road. But part of that is taking those life skills and what you’re going to get from it. 

“We were looking at pictures at last night’s dinner together,” he continued. “They’ve been a close group throughout the years and growing up. I think they’ll look back on the great times that they’ve had and just keep building.”