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Buddy Hawkins could easily be called the Governor.

After all, Hawkins spends about as much time in Austin as Gov. Rick Perry.

For the 11th time since 1991, Hawkins and his Winnsboro Lady Raiders are appearing at the UIL Girls State Basketball Tournament.

Most teams add the dates of the state tournament to their schedule as an incentive, but for Winnsboro it's just as much a part of the slate as the pre-district games and district contests.

Hawkins is matter of fact about the success.

"It's better than staying home," Hawkins jokes. "I really enjoy it for the kids. It's almost as if things are not right if we don't go. It's always as if the whole season is a failure if we don't go and it shouldn't be that way."

Winnsboro just goes about its business, and business is very good.

The Lady Raiders (35-3) meet Tuscola Jim Ned (31-5) in the Class 2A semifinals at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the Frank Erwin Center on the campus of the University of Texas.

So Tuscola is not just known as the home of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.

The other semifinal has defending state champion Poth (26-7) taking on Woodville (32-3) at 10 a.m.

The semifinal winners meet at 2 p.m. Saturday in the state championship game.

Last year, Winnsboro won its semifinal game over Panhandle, 54-52, when center Opal Taskila blocked a potential game-tying shot.

The Lady Raiders then dropped a heartbreaker, 72-70, in double overtime to Poth.

And despite losing one of the top players in the state in Megan Morton, who now plays at the University of Houston, the Lady Raiders are back.

"I thought all year we had a good chance (to make it to state)," Hawkins said. "I know that's a lot to say when you lose a player the caliber of Megan Morton."

Hawkins uses all nine of his players. Two average in double figures and two others are near the magic mark.

Taskila, a 6-2 junior, leads the way with a 15.1 points-per-game average. She also averages 6.5 rebounds.

Forward Sara Senn, a 5-10 senior, averages 10.5 points and leads in rebounding at 8.6.

Rounding out the starting unit are 5-6 junior guard Macy Morton (8.9 points), 5-6 sophomore guard Brittany Carter (9.5 points) and 5-6 shooting guard Moriah Gerdes (7.2 points).

Carter leads with 5.2 assists and 3.8 steals per game. Gerdes shoots 36.7 percent from 3-point land as she has connected on 61 treys.

Others who are keys to the Lady Raiders include 5-10 senior guard Ashley Watkins (7.3 ppg), 5-10 sophomore forward Alex Langhoff, 5-10 junior forward Angela Watkins and 5-9 senior guard Victoria Landers.

Landers is hitting at a 43 percent clip from long distance, connecting on 62 treys.

The Lady Raiders have a true balanced attack with all of the players hitting at least 12 points in a game some time during the season. Seven have scored at least 18 points in a game.

NOTES - Winnsboro has won three state championships. ... Winnsboro and Jim Ned have one common opponent - Bullard. Winnsboro defeated Bullard in a warmup game, 54-46, earlier this month, while Jim Ned defeated Bullard, 39-32, in the Fairfield Tournament in December. ... Winnsboro is 15 miles northeast of Quitman in northeastern Wood County and extends into Franklin County. ... Tuscola is in southern Taylor County, 19 miles south of Abilene. ... This is Jim Ned's second state appearance, winning the state title in 1994. ... The Lady Indians have won three straight close games - 57-54 over Ballinger (regional quarterfinals), 47-44 over Slaton (regional semifinals), and 50-44 over Wall (Region I final). It was the third time Jim Ned had beaten Wall, a District 6-2A rival. ... The Lady Indians are led by 5-7 senior guard Cassi Wright and 5-9 center Shelby Easterling.