After a season no one expected, after last second miracles, after 16 wins, a game finally escaped Kimball’s grasp.

The emotion of a long schedule and a 66-25 runaway by Chadron in the subdistrict finals poured out following the lopsided encounter. The Cardinals had bombarded Kimball 44-7 coming out of the halftime break and the experience showed on the girls faces.

Longhorns point guard Darbi Klinkhammer, often described at the team’s heart and soul on the floor, could only shake her head.

“They’re good, they’re quick and they’re long,” she said of unbeaten Chadron.

The junior ran into foul trouble with 5:24 to go in the third quarter, battling the same crew of officials that benched her for an Annie McCloud push two nights earlier. She fouled out again on Thursday, after limited second half playing time.

“We struggled without her,” coach Ken Smith admitted. “Without our point guard we’re a different team.”

Kimball struggled early against Chadron’s full court press, turning the ball over repeatedly and allowing the Cardinals a 13-0 run from the opening whistle. But this is a Longhorns squad that never caved in all season. Kelly Green subbed in and, just before the buzzer, drained a baseline jumper.

The sure two pointer--and a second Green effort from inside the paint--seemed to inspire Kimball.

“Those two shots boosted our morale, but it was a team effort to get the open shot,” the sophomore said, downplaying her role in what followed.

The Longhorns came back to life suddenly. Tori Reader forced one in under pressure, Klinkhammer hit one of two from the line, Taylor Wismer found the net next and Shelby Vogel converted a neat runner through the circle, turning a 13-2 rout into a 15-11 contest.

“We got our jitters out of the way,” Klinkhammer explained.

By halftime it had become the sort of battle where Kimball prevails. When play renewed, Reader found herself boxed in under the rim. She kicked it out to a wide open Jordain Gawith, who sank a jumper from the top of the key. It was a two point game, 22-20.

The score was deceptive, however. Halftime sapped Kimball’s momentum. Afterwards the players lamented the break, believing that if they had remained on the floor, the outcome may have been different.

As it was, Chadron countered Gawith’s shot with a 7-0 run. McCloud and Vogel grabbed four back, the latter on a steal and coast to coast break.

Then it all unraveled.

As the Cardinals launched into a devastating 28-0 streak extending into the final period, the scoreline became littered with Kimball turnovers. The full court press employed by Chadron shut down opportunities and turned every possession into a desperate venture.

“We prepared for it,” Reader explained. Height and speed, however, are difficult to replicate in practice.

“They’ve got long arms,” Green observed.

Jessica Hanks’ free throw was the only mark the Longhorns put on the board in a long fourth quarter. Chadron, meanwhile, piled on 20 more.

“I think we gave up,” Reader admitted.

Maybe it was the toll of a long and often tense season. Kimball started slowly in December--showing potential, creating shot opportunities, but often missing the mark. They ended 2011 at 3-6. When things started to click, however, they became a force, sweeping through their January schedule and winning February’s WTC tournament--13-2 in the new year, 16-8 on the season. They kept their heads high, even when behind in tough games.

In the end, grit wasn’t enough. But one game does not tell a year’s story.

“You can’t take away from a 16 win season,” Smith said. “These girls worked hard.”

Green agreed.

“We had a good season,” she nodded. “The seniors will be missed.”

Reader, Gawith and McCloud will graduate this spring. The others return for the 2012-13 schedule.

“We can make it further,” Green insisted. “We have a lot of talent.”

Klinkhammer agreed: “We will be back.”