Flatonia’s First Final Four

Last week the Flatonia Bulldogs matched the school’s longest-ever playoff run.

Now the school record is their’s alone – and they’re not done yet.

With two electric days of basketball at the Region IV2A tournament in Buda, the Bulldogs claimed the regional title and the school’s first-ever berth in the state basketball tournament.

One of the final four Class 2A teams alive in the state, the Bulldogs (34-4) will play La Rue La Poyner (32-7) Friday at 10 a.m in the Alamodome. The winner of that game advances to Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. state title game.

This year’s Bulldogs had  

been only the second basketball team in school history (along with the 1999 team) to advance to the regional tournament.

Friday, in that regional tournament, the Bulldogs faced Port Aransas (28-10). Flatonia had beaten the Marlins by 12 back in December. This time it was closer, with the Bulldogs prevailing 46-43.

The Bulldogs actually never trailed in this one but just held off a late Port Aransas rally.

Holden Kloesel scored a team-high 17 for Flatonia while Jaidyn Guyton added 15.

On Saturday, the only thing standing between the Bulldogs and a state title was Thorndale.

Again, Flatonia never trailed in the game and led by as many as 21.

Guyton scored a gamehigh 23 points and was dominant around the basket.

Holden Kloesel scored 16 and Keyshaun Green added 13.

In fact, all but one of Flatonia’s points the entire twoday regional tournament were scored by seniors, underscoring the veteran nature of this year’s team.

While this is uncharted territory for the Bulldogs, it is not for their head coach Chris Sodek, a Fayetteville native, who led Mumford to three consecutive state title games, winning it all in 2014, before being hired at Flatonia later that spring.

3/3/23 – Regional semis

Flatonia 46, Port Aransas 43 Flatonia scoring: Keyshaun Green 8, Camden Bosl 4, Holden Kloesel 17, Luke Law 2, Jaidyn Guyton 15.

3/3/23 – Regional finals

Flatonia 65, Thorndale 54 Flatonia scoring: Keyshaun Green 13, Camden Bosl 3, Holden Kloesel 16, Luke Law 3, Jaidyn Guyton 23, Dayton Cliffe 6, Keegan Green 1.