JACKSON – Not even a 9-day layoff due to inclement weather and aslow start could stop West Lincoln’s girls and boys teams fromadvancing to the Region 7-1A Tournament championship games tonight.The Lady Bears rebounded from a 9-6 first quarter deficit, to take38-35 win over the Sebastopol Lady Bobcats Thursday night in thesemifinals held at the Mississippi School for the Deaf’s PhysicalEducation Complex.

In the boys game, despite shooting 25 percent from the field, theunbeaten West Lincoln Bears authored a 57-40 win over the CathedralGreen Wave.

The No. 2-seed Lady Bears meet the No. 1-seed Bogue Chitto LadyCats in an all-Lincoln County girl’s championship matchup around 7p.m. The No. 1-seed Bears tackle No. 2-seed Sebastopol in the boystitle tilt around 8:30.

The No. 3-seed Bogue Chitto boys play No. 4-seed Cathedral in theboys consolation game at 5:30. Cathedral’s girls meet Sebastopol at4 in the girls consolation game.

All four teams advance to the opening round of the South State 1Atournament Monday (girls) and Tuesday (boys). The No. 1 and No. 2teams will host South openers while the No. 3 and No. 4 teamstravel.

West Lincoln 38, Sebastopol 35

West Lincoln (15-10) and Sebastopol (16-9) split theirregular-season contest, with each winning on their home floor. Itwas the Lady Bobcats who would open the second quarter with a 9-6lead.

The Lady Bears deadlocked the game at 9-all on a trey by MarisaPruski; then led 11-9 on a basket by Katie Hester. West Lincolncould not pull away; with their largest lead of the game only 7points.

“Our girls played hard,” said Lady Bears head coach Lane Young. “Wemissed a lot of easy shots.”

Young’s team took the lead for good at 19-17 in the early stages ofthe third quarter on a basket by Beth Montgomery.

Sebastopol, coached by Wayne Wilson, cut their deficit to a singlepoint, 34-33 on a free throw by Katarina Pace with 52 second leftin the game. The Lady Cats could not draw iron in the waningseconds, except for a pair of free throws.

Pruski led all scorers with 12 points and 2 steals. KarliHerrington had 11 points and 2 assists. Tamasha Buckley had 2assists. Hester led with 6 rebounds.

Lexus Kennedy led Sebastopol with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

West Lincoln 57, Cathedral 40

“The long layoff hurt us a bit,” said Coach Young following thegame. “We were not able to get any rhythm going. Glad to get thewin.”

West Lincoln and Cathedral seesawed throughout the first half. TheBears (25-0) led 12-8 after one period and 22-21 at the halftimebreak. Young’s team outdistanced the Green Wave 35-19 in the secondhalf to come away with their 25th consecutive win thisseason.

De Price led all scorers with 18 points, 2 steals and 2 assists.Jared Case pumped in 17 points, 2 assists and 3 steals. Jay Case,who averages around 24 points per game, had only 4 points; butmanaged 4 assists and 4 steals. Calvin Kees had 6 rebounds.

West Lincoln had 14 turnovers, compared to 44 miscues by the GreenWave.

Jamon Gray topped Cathedral with 16 points.