Battle for bronze settled in third, Portageville girls drop to fourth in season finale

In one of the most exciting MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown matchups so far, a four-quarter effort saw Lone Jack squeak past Portageville girls basketball 48-39 to claim the 2025 Class 3 third-place title after a hot-shot fourth quarter.

Tied at 19-all at the break, Lone Jack won the third quarter by 6 points, kicked off by a Miley Ward 3-pointer and commencing a 14-8 frame that helped the Mules seal off a tightly-knit victory.

For Portageville, punching its ticket to the final four for the first time in program history but coming up short in the final stages, it’s a little bittersweet but still a monumental moment for the club, taking home the fourth-place trophy.

“I'm just so proud of the girls and how they have competed all season long,” Portageville coach Kellye Fowler said. “They gave it everything in that last game, we just came up a little bit short.

“I'm super proud of the way they played today and all season. It's been a great experience for all of us.”

Delaney Richards of Lone Jack commanded the Mules with a double-double performance, chalking up 22 points and 11 rebounds while Ryley Shull backed her up with another 14 points and 15 rebounds – a double of double-doubles.

Leading the way for Portageville, Glo Farmer put up 14 points on 11 shots, recording 8 boards and 2 steals on the day. She finished as the only Bulldog in double figures, fouling out in the final seconds to wrap up her junior season.

Joining her were Taryn Irby’s 6 points, Satori Saxton’s 5 to pair with a team-high 3 steals, and another 5 from Maggie Priggel off the bench. The Bulldogs shot just 7 percent from 3-point range in the loss.

The lone senior, Ja’Niya Smith, had an emotional moment at the conclusion of the contest as she walked off the floor in the final minute following her fifth foul, embracing Fowler at the head of the bench signaling the conclusion of her career at Portageville.

Her 8 points was but a microcosm of the effort she’s put in this season, adding 5 boards, 2 steals and 2 blocks and nearly willing Portageville to a win on Day 2 but still coming out on top as the senior leader of the most decorated team in program history.

“It was a really good moment,” Smith said, “Especially with the crowd. The team has always supported me, but the atmosphere for the last one was really special.”

This brings the 2025 season to a close for Portageville, a fitting ending for what’s become one of the very best Bootheel girls basketball programs in recent years, finally getting a chance at the state final four and showing some grit throughout.

Though it didn’t culminate in any shiny gold medal, it’s the mark of hard work for Coach Fowler and her girls, expected to make moves in the near future as they march toward the new season with just one player departing the program.

Looking back on the 2024-25 season, it’ll be a reflection of the cohesiveness that helped the Bulldogs dominate local play and even put up some big wins against regional powerhouses en route to new heights as a program.

“The girls just get along really well,” Fowler said. “On the floor, they move the ball really well, and they are so unselfish. We're making those extra passes. No one person ever cared who got the credit.

“That's always special when you have a group like that; that can work together for the common goal and not care who gets the credit. That's been super special.”

Reflecting on her favorite part of the season, Fowler talked about character, not accomplishments. What they’ll take away from the season is far more than what happened on the court.

“We made history,” Fowler began,
” … but also just being around these group of girls and watching them grow. We just lost a big group of seniors last year, so from the beginning to now, these girls have really, really bought into their roles and have really grown as leaders and as basketball players.

“That's always fun as a coach, to watch and just see these relationships build. I know that these girls are gonna take away more than just basketball.”