BUDA — The eighth-ranked Goldthwaite girls basketball team is headed to the state tournament for the third time in program history and first since 2000, after knocking off archrival San Saba 54-50 in the Region IV-2A championship game Saturday at Buda Johnson High School. 

The Lady Eagles, who improved to 3-0 on the season against the No. 19 Lady Armadillos, used a 30-point first half to take a double-digit lead into the break and held off a furious San Saba rally in the final quarter to push their season record to 34-3.

The victory, which followed a 49-31 region semifinal win over Mumford on Friday, earns Goldthwaite a Class 2A state semifinal matchup with No. 4 Martin’s Mill (34-5) next Friday.