Pender Wins Fourth-Straight State Title, Giving Elkhorn Valley First Loss

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Pender girls basketball team brought home their fourth consecutive state championship with a 63-48 win over previously unbeaten Elkhorn Valley.

Pender jumped on top early, taking the first lead of the game. However, Elkhorn Valley went shot for shot with the Pendragons as Pender held onto a two-point lead after the first.

The three-point shot started up for Pender as they extended their lead to six before the halftime break, going 4-8 from beyond the arc in the second quarter. In the third, it was all about the Pender defense as they held Elkhorn Valley to just five points in the third quarter, and in the blink of an eye, Pender built a 24-point lead.

Elkhorn Valley battled back the best they could, but the deficit proved too much as Pender won their fourth straight championship, 63-48.

Seniors Hadley Walsh and Madalyn Dolliver led the Pendragons with 25 and 24 points, respectively. Dolliver put on a shooting clinic, going 7-12 from three-point range.