After edging Veribest 44-39 with a sluggish effort in Friday’s Region II-1A semifinals, the Hermleigh Lady Cardinals left no doubt in Saturday’s region title game.

Coach Duane Hopper’s team roared to a 15-5 first-quarter lead and held off a third-quarter surge to top Rankin 58-46 and clinch its second consecutive state tournament berth at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum.