By By TOM NYHUIS / Vigilant/Argus
BRIDGMAN - In Monday night's second regional semifinal game of the night played at Bridgman High School, Cassopolis held an early four point lead over Watervliet.
That lead would be short lived as the Panthers tied the score at four and went on to take a 39-23 win to advance to face Gobles in the regional final on Wednesday.
Gobles defeated Kalamazoo Christian 38-32.
Led by 6-foot senior Sarah Sheffer, and her 6-foot-1 freshman sister Rachel, the Panthers began pushing the ball down in the paint.
The senior Sheffer scored seven of her 15 points in the first quarter as Watervliet took a 9-4 lead over the Rangers after the first quarter.
Cass rallied in the second quarter to tie the game at 13 with just over three minutes to play in the first half as Kelsey Gordon sparked the Rangers' scoring in the quarter pumping in seven points.
Gordon was held to just two more points in the game and finished with a team-high nine points.
Watervliet went into the locker room with a four-point lead, 17-13.
The Panthers picked up where the first half finished, and Watervliet put the game away in the quarter by outscoring the Rangers 17-6, entered the final quarter with a 34-19 lead.
Katelyn Bryce led all scorers with 16 points.
Cassopolis' Dee Dee Hawkins was limited to just two points
Cassopolis finishes a fine season with a 21-3 record.
The finals are scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The winner advances to the Class C quarterfinals to be held at Bangor High School.