Shorthorns advance to area round of state playoffs

By ROBERT HALPERN

MARFA – The Marfa Shorthorn varsity basketball team took the 2012 bi-district championship and advanced to the area round of the state playoffs with a resounding 51-38 win over Irion County Tuesday night in Crane.

The Purple & White will face the Olton Mustangs for the area crown at 7:30pm Friday in Kermit. Marfa will be the visiting team.

Warren Acosta takes to the sky as he shoots for two points in Friday's game against Van Horn. (photo by ALBERTO TOMAS HALPERN)

After amassing a 19-win and 1-loss record, the Horns slipped a bit in the waning weeks of regular season and district play, settling for district tri-champion with the Van Horn Eagles and the Fort Hancock Mustangs.

Marfa beat the Mustangs earlier last week but fell 46-40 to the Eagles last Friday in Alpine to seed the three teams. Van Horn got the bye this week.

Marfa has 23 wins and just 4 losses on the season, and the Shorthorns fourth-period rally Tuesday night against Irion County appears to indicate the Mighty Horns have their second wind.

Read complete coverage of the Eagles and Badgers games in Thursday’s issue of The Big Bend Sentinel and online at www.bigbendnow.com.