PHOTOS BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Gabe Myles, left, reacts after being fouled by the Hawks’ Jarrod Atwell during Lampasas’ 83-41 home loss Friday evening. The Hendrickson varsity boys’ basketball team was not a very pleasant guest to the Badgers while visiting here.

The Lady Hawks did not act as a much better host.

The Badgers’ and Lady Badgers’ playoff aspirations took a blow Friday evening during their bouts against Hendrickson as both teams lost by double digits.

At home, the Badgers scored the first two points before Hendrickson went on a 15-0 run en route to a 83- 41 victory.

The Lady Badgers fell to 2-5 in District 25-4A play after opening their road contest against Hendrickson with consecutive fivepoint quarters and lost 60-35.

While neither squad is eliminated from the postseason race, each team has a difficult road ahead going toward the finish line.

Lampasas’ top scorer Eduardo Davila (11 pts.) releases a layup over Damarion Jackson. Davila also had four rebounds and four blocks in the game. The Lady Badgers (10-18, 2-5) are on a three-game losing streak following their loss and sit two games behind Marble Falls and Killeen for fourth place.

Hendrickson and Hutto both locked up their postseason spots with wins Friday.

The good news for the Lady Badgers is that with three games left in the season, two games are at home, beginning tonight at 7 p.m. against Lake Travis (10-17, 1-6). Then Lampasas plays a pair of critical games against the two teams they are chasing, concluding with Senior Night next Tuesday.

“[Lake Travis] is a big game for us,” Lady Badgers’ head coach Stuart Beckwith said. “Lake Travis is a team we match up very well with.

“We still have a great playoff chance, but we must win. We have to take care of business.”

Kayla Prescott scored a teamhigh 13 points in Lampasas’ loss at Hendrickson. After alternating two losses with two wins over the first six games of district, the trend ended at Hendrickson as the Lady Badgers were unable to contain the Lady Hawks’ offense early and fell behind by 24 points, 34-10, at halftime.

Scoring over the first two periods was identical, with Hendrickson (23-6, 5-2) outscoring Lampasas 17-5 in each, before the Lady Badgers bounced back and played the Lady Hawks much closer in the second half.

But the damage was done, and Lampasas lost by 25 points.

Junior guard Kayla Prescott led Lampasas with 13 points, followed by post players Lauren Barlow (8 pts.) and Madison Morris (7 pts.).

“It seems we were overmatched,” Beckwith said. “After playing them twice, I can see why they have won 23 games and are leading the district.”

During the second half of the district schedule, the Badgers will need to find a way to improve their play.

For the second time in three games, the Badgers lost by at least 39 points and concluded the first round without a district win.

After falling to Killeen 81-42 a week prior, the Badgers were blown out for a second time at home when Hendrickson capitalized on 26 first-half turnovers by Lampasas to go into the third quarter up 38-18.

Lampasas senior Eduardo Davila scored the game’s first two points, but the Badgers did not add another point in the first quarter. Davila finished with a team-high 11 points in the contest.

In the second half, Lampasas was outscored 45-23.

While the loss was tough, the upcoming schedule only serves to make matters worse. The Badgers (8-17, 0-5) play four of their final five district games on the road, beginning tonight at No. 5 Lake Travis (25-3, 5-0).

Lampasas plays its final home game Friday against Marble Falls (15-13, 1-4) before starting a three-game road trip at No. 8 Killeen next Tuesday.

Although the Badgers have yet to taste a district victory, they sit just two games behind fourth-place Hutto, and Lampasas head coach Scott Harrelson knows his season is far from over.

“It comes down to three teams [Hutto, Marble Falls and Lampasas],” the coach said. “I think we have as good a chance as either of those two teams to get a win against the top three, but when we come in next Friday [against Marble Falls], that’s it.

“We have to beat Marble Falls next Friday. That’s what it comes down to.”

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Hendrickson had its way with all of Lampasas’ subvarsity teams.

On the girls’ side, the freshman team fell by 11 points, 45-34, and the junior varsity lost 48-32.

The Badger freshmen lost 75-25, while the junior varsity lost by a 15-point margin at 65-50.