The path back to Burton Coliseum for the state tournament won’t be a long one for Washington-Marion, which will get to play all three games preceding the big dance on campus at Clyde Wilkins Gymnasium.
The second step is at 6 p.m. tonight, when the Charging Indians host Edna Karr in a rematch of last year’s thrilling semifi nal, which W-M won at the buzzer on a layup by L’Marcus Walker.
The Charging Indians (28-6) have been in fi ne form throughout the season, while the Cougars (16-17), a perennial state power, had an uncharacteristic sub-.500 regular season.
W-M enters on an 11-game winning streak after beating Leesville 79-55 in the opening round. Seniors Christian Edwards (19 points) and Da’Vantre Vitor (20 points) led W-M.
Karr advanced with a 45-40 win over St. Martinville.
While Walker was the only starter W-M had to replace from last year, the Cougars lost their top three scorers, including star guard Tyree Thompson, who signed a baseball contract with the Texas Rangers. The Cougars, the 4A state champion in football, started the season 1-4.
W-M head coach Albert Hartwell said Karr is better than their record indicates.
“They are very good, they are flying under the radar,” he said. “They have good people. They are playing hard and have a 6-5 kid that can really play and a guard that can play. We have our hands full.”
Hartwell said he is leery of a team seeking redemption for last year’s game.
“There is a revenge factor and it is unusual in the sense that you are playing a team that you just played at the championship tournament,” he said. “We knocked them off with a last-minute shot and that is still burning them. We can’t take them lightly, they are a good team.”
Hartwell said his team played with composure in the opening round.
“We stopped jumping and going everything and getting silly fouls,” he said. “We usually get in foul trouble. We played with discipline. The kids helped each other and played team ball. On defense we were talking and we were moving the ball on offense.”
Elsewhere tonight, No. 3 Hamilton Christian hosts No. 14 Ascension Catholic in a Division IV game, while No. 17 Westlake hosts No. 1 Peabody in Class 3A. The Rams earned the home game by knocking off No. 16 Marksville on the road last week. Peabody is led by UL-Lafayette signee Cedric Russell, who scored 54 points in a game earlier this season.
The Warriors used last week’s bye to recover and refocus.
“After the last regular season game, we took Saturday, Sunday and Monday off, then practiced Tuesday-Saturday like we were starting a new season,” said Hamilton head coach Dexter Washington.
“Ascension Catholic likes to shoot a lot of threes, and not with just one player. They are scrappy and like to play fast, we know they will press us and switch between different defenses.”
In all, 19 area teams will be in regional round games today and tomorrow.
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