HOT SPRINGS -- Mount Vernon-Enola started the season No. 1 in its class, and a closing flurry late Saturday afternoon ensured it'd finish that way.
The Lady Warhawks scored the game's final 10 points, with eight coming from Dessie McCarty, to finally pull away and beat Conway Christian 55-45 in the Class 2A girls state championship game at Bank OZK Arena.
The win was a long time coming for Mount Vernon-Enola (38-5), which had never won a title and last made an appearance in the final in 2018 when it was beaten by Wonderview while it was still in Class 1A. But in their debut season in Class 2A, the Lady Warhawks were able to close the deal in grand fashion.
"I'm proud of these girls because all of them worked really hard," said Mount Vernon-Enola Coach Adam Carlton, whose team has been ranked No. 1 in Class 2A all year. "We were on a mission after we got knocked out of the state tournament last year and wanted to get to this point. I can't say enough about them."
Carlton didn't have to say much about what the Lady Warhawks did in their rubber match with Conway Christian (32-6) because McCarty was able to speak volumes.
The junior center scored 36 points and pulled down 18 rebounds en route to earning Most Valuable Player honors in a game where no lead appeared safe.
There were five ties and 19 lead changes in the game, and neither had an advantage of more than five points until the fourth quarter. But the dominance displayed by McCarty was eye-catching because everything she did was needed for Lady Warhawks, who had to contend with Josie Williams doing the same things on the other end of the court for the Lady Eagles.
The senior guard finished with 26 points despite facing occasional double teams and willed Conway Christian for much of the game.
"Extremely proud," Conway Christian Coach Trey Lynch said of his team. "They've given champions' effort all season and did so again [Saturday]. I hate that we didn't get it done, but credit to Mount Vernon-Enola.
"The way the first two games [against Mount Vernon-Enola] went, nothing would've surprised me. It's two really, really quality teams, and I told a number of people that I just hope we'd play well and have a shot at the end."
The two split two earlier meetings this year, and Round 3 was nip and tuck from start to finish.
Mount Vernon-Enola led 9-8 midway though the first quarter until a three-pointer from Conley Gibson started a 6-0 run that gave Conway Christian a five-point lead. The Lady Eagles still held an 18-14 advantage after a jumper from Williams at the 6:32 mark of the second period, but two free throws from Olivia McClelland moments later ignited a 7-0 spark that put the Lady Warhawks back out front.
Conway Christian answered before the end of the quarter and erased a 23-20 deficit by scoring seven of the final 10 points -- all from Williams -- to take a 27-26 lead into halftime.
The back and forth carried over into the third quarter where there were three ties and five more lead changes, with the last coming on a driving runner from A.J. Person, who had 11 points and five steals in the game, with 53 seconds remaining that gave the Lady Warhawks a 40-39 lead.
Another short jumper from Williams with 3:46 left to play in the fourth tied it at 45-45 before McCarty scored inside on the ensuing possession to hand the lead back to the Lady Warhawks. But Mount Vernon-Enola was eventually able to break loose when McCarty put back a missed three-pointer from Person with 1:10 remaining.
"I told myself that if [Williams] is going to keep scoring, then we've got to keep scoring," McCarty explained. "Somebody's got to take control. When I saw the shot clock winding down [on Person's shot] and that backside rebound go off, I didn't hear a whistle so I put it back up. You play until you get told not to play, and I feel like that's what my team does."
The Lady Warhawks later followed up McCarty's basket with six free throws to close out the win.
"This is the first time we've gotten one," Carlton said of the team capturing the program's first state title. "It's the first time I've gotten one so it's a great, great feeling."
2A girls scorebook
MVEMFGFTO-RPFAPTS
Person324-111-20-12211
McClelland320-22-20-1012
Raby322-72-21-4246
McCarty3213-207-73-183036
Kyle100-10-00-0100
Gilbert220-40-02-3200
Team3-4
Totals16019-4512-139-3110755
PCT. — 42.2, FT 92.3, 3-PT — 5-20 (McCarty 3-5, Person 2-8, Kyle 0-1, Gilbert 0-2, Raby 0-4). BL — 3 (McCarty 2). TO — 9 (Raby 3). ST —10 (Person 5)
CON. CHR.MFGFTO-RPFAPTS
Pratt322-50-02-8215
Williams3210-205-60-21326
Keathley300-30-00-1300
Gibson323-110-01-4228
Malone312-52-21-3306
Scroggins20-00-00-0000
Brister10-00-00-0000
Team1-4
Totals16017-447-85-2211645
PCT. — 38.6, FT 87.5, 3-PT — 4-18 (Gibson 2-7, Pratt 1-2, Williams 1-6, Keathley 0-3). BL — 1 (Pratt). TO _ 12 (Pratt 6). ST — 7 (Pratt 3)
Mount Vernon-Enola12141415—55
Conway Christian1413126—45
Officials – Ward, Hardin, Tanner
Attendance – 2,740
Gallery: Class 2A Girls State Basketball Championship
