This was &8220;next year&8221; for Montevallo High School&8217;s girls basketball team, however the run for the Final Four fell short Thursday with a 55-46 loss to Montgomery Academy.

&8220;It&8217;s disappointing, but on my way home I realized this was just our second loss. We wanted to get further, but I’ll take 20-2 any year,&8221; Lady Dawgs head coach Ten Nivens said.

Things appeared to be on the right track for Montevallo in the opening eight minutes, as they carried a 13-7 lead into the second period. However, Montgomery Academy turned the tables in the second quarter to out score the Lady Dawgs 16-8 and take a 23-21 lead into halftime.

&8220;We didn&8217;t play very smart at all,&8221; Nivens said. &8220;I think it was one of those cases that probably your two better teams played in the bracket to begin with. I think it would have helped to play Greensboro first and then Montgomery.&8221;

Alisha Gentry and Candice Fields each had lay-ups early in the second half to force a 25-25 tie with 14 minutes left in the game, but that was the closest Montevallo came. Gentry finished the game with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Fields led with 18 points.

Amelia McCall powered her way in the post to 23 points and 17 rebounds for Montgomery Academy.

&8220;We knew we couldn’t keep her from scoring, but we hoped we could keep her off the boards, which we couldn’t do,&8221; Nivens said