SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KFDA) - The Panhandle Ettes are the 2025-26 2A D1 girls basketball state champions, topping Mason 38-25 Thursday night at the Alamodome.
It is the program’s third state championship — joining titles in 1992 and 2016 — and the second for head coach Rob Schmucker.
Panhandle closes the season at 38-1 after winning 37 straight games, one year after falling to Nocona in the state semifinals.
Dominant first quarter sets the tone
The Ettes wasted no time establishing control, opening the game on a 15-0 run that left Mason scoreless until over halfway through the first quarter.
Point guard Riley Segura got things started with the game’s first four points, and Paige Bixby converted a transition layup off a turnover to push the lead to 6-0. Segura continued to pour it on with help from Allie Ashley and Ell Robinson, putting Panhandle firmly in the driver’s seat before the quarter was out.
ADVERTISEMENT
Schmucker said the fast start made the difference, giving his team the cushion it needed to secure the win.
Segura said she was able to attack open areas in the lane — a shot she works on daily in practice — and credited her teammates for putting her in position to be aggressive.
Mason chips away, Panhandle holds firm
The Cowgirls did not go quietly. Mason trimmed the deficit to 25-15 by halftime and pulled within four points at 29-25 with a little over five minutes left in the game.
Bixby answered with the teams only three-pointer to push the lead back to seven, and Segura converted two free throws with under a minute remaining to put the game out of reach.
Schmucker said the team’s ability to respond under pressure was a product of its defense, which has driven scoring opportunities all season long.
ADVERTISEMENT
Segura named state MVP
Segura walked away with Class 2A Division I state MVP honors, finishing with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line, along with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Ashley contributed six points in the first half to go with three defensive rebounds, and Bixby added five points.
Senior Addison McCoid finished with six points and seven rebounds. McCoid said earning a state title as a senior — in front of a community that has consistently shown up for the program — made the moment especially meaningful.
Copyright 2026 KFDA. All rights reserved.