Survive Saltillo
Sulphur Springs--Celeste's unstoppable girls' basketball team became the last area survivor in the state cage playoffs on Monday night when the Devilettes halted Saltillo's forward march, 67 - 57.
Celeste had an easy time winning this one, racing to a 67 - 47 lead before Coach G. W. Tillerson sent in his subs with a minute and a half to go. The victory advances Celeste to the regional tournament at Austin College in Sherman this weekend. Tillerson will meet with other tournament coaches in Sherman Wednesday night to draw his first-round opponent.
The game was all over at the end of the first period as Celeste demonstrated why it is one of the top rated teams in Class B. The Devilettes jumped to a 25 - 10 lead and stunned Saltillo never regained its senses.
Celeste led at half, 28 - 24 (?), and continued to increase its lead into the third quarter, taking a 56 - 38 advantage into the final stanza.
Linda Weatherley and Martha Sumrow scored nine field goals each for Celeste. Miss Weatherley adding nine free throws for twenty-seven total points and Miss Sumrow added seven free tosses for a twenty-five total. Alice Roach added five fielders and three charity tosses for thirteen points.
The Celeste triumph overshadowed a great individual performance by Saltillo's Cynthia Bell, who scored forty points on thirteen field goals and fourteen free throws. Jane Rogers netted thirteen points for Saltillo and Sue Edwards, four points.
"Our defense also gave an outstanding performance," noted Tillerson. "Saltillo only scored five field goals the entire first half." Joanna Kirkpatrick and Eddie Ruth Evans, both all-district performers, played especially tight defense against their opponents.
Celeste scored twenty-three field goals and twenty-one free throws to account for its sixty-seven points. Saltillo scored twenty field goals and seventeen free throws.
Celeste's victory increases its season record to 31 - 5 and continues the Devilettes string of never having lost to a Class B team his year. Celeste has lost three times to Class AA Rivercrest, one to Class A Archer City, and once to Class A Fannindel.
(February 38, 1967, The Greenville Herald Banner)
Submitted by Sarah Swindell
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