Idalou defeats Dalhart, but the Lady Wolves are winners all the same
Idalou may have defeated Dalhart 50-15 in a Class 3A bi-district girls basketball game Wednesday afternoon at West Plains High School.
But the Lady Wolves were still winners.
After the past week, and year, the community of Dalhart has endured, everyone who lives there is a winner.
Yes, Dalhart's season has come to an end while Idalou advances to play Muleshoe in the area round of the postseason. But the mere fact that Dalhart even took the court makes them winners all the same.
The Lady Wolves were originally set to play Idalou on Monday when tragedy struck. Fifteen-year-old Preston Ralston, a student at Dalhart High School, was killed in an accidental shooting near the school.
All activities were postponed as a result, including the Lady Wolves' basketball game.
Two days after, Dalhart was asked to take the court an hour and a half away against the District 2-3A champions. The Lady Wolves were asked to play against a team with more height and possessed dangerous scorers from every angle just two days after the second deadly tragedy of the school year.
And the Lady Wolves did it. They stepped out onto the court and made their presence known. That is something that only winners are capable of.
"It was a tough week," Dalhart coach Anthony Catherall said. "I'm proud of the girls for hanging in there, playing hard and fighting through some adversity. There's nothing that really prepares you for this. I'm just proud of my kids right now. They played hard today."
Early in the 2022 football season, the Dalhart community came together in support following the tragic death of Yahir Cancino. Cancino was injured during a JV football game and later died from a reported head injury. The Wolves came out the next week and played a game, just as these Lady Wolves did two days after tragedy struck once more.
They were joined by roughly 100 fans who made the trip on a Wednesday afternoon. That says something about the community of Dalhart, Texas. It didn't go unnoticed, even by the opposition.
"None of us really know what they're going through right now," Idalou coach Tyler Helms said. "Our thoughts and our prayers are with them."
The path ahead for the community won't be easy, but as awful as it is, they've been down this road before. They've made it through once and will make it through again.
No matter what the scoreboard read or how the bracket lines up now, that makes the Lady Wolves winners.
3A bi-district girls basketball
Idalou 50 Dalhart 15
Idalou 11 12 14 13 – 50
Dalhart 5 2 4 4 - 15
Dalhart (20-13, 4-6)
Addison Bowers 5, Jadyn Trusler 8, Kammi Maddox 2
Idalou (19-8, 9-1)
Karsyn Lutrick 6, Preslie Wall 2, Lily Moyers 3, Gracey Merrell 2, Megan Hall 2, Logan Heard 20, Kira Fox 15
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Idalou defeats Dalhart, but the Lady Wolves are winners all the same
