MURFREESBORO — For the first time in 37 years, Collierville High School returned to the TSSAA State Tournament, capping off a second consecutive season of 25-plus wins and cementing the Lady Dragons as one of the state’s emerging programs. But that remarkable run came to an end Thursday in a 54–30 quarterfinal loss to Blackman.

The Blaze set the tone early, bursting out to a 9–0 lead before Collierville could settle in. Despite strong effort and stretches of solid defense, the Lady Dragons were never able to overcome the early deficit. Shots simply wouldn’t fall, especially from long range.

Collierville (25–10) hoisted 38 three-point attempts, converting just five, while shooting 20% from the field overall (10-of-50). Every run the Lady Dragons tried to mount was halted by cold shooting or Blackman’s ability to answer at key moments.

Junior Jaliyah Kelly continued her breakout season, leading Collierville with 15 points before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Moments later, she was joined on the bench by her older sister, Fran Kelly, who closed out an injury-plagued senior year with four points and her trademark competitiveness.

While the loss stings, the future remains undeniably bright for the program. Collierville will return the younger Kelly sister, along with Danae Kennedy, one of the state’s most promising prospects in the Class of 2027. With a strong core, postseason experience, and back-to-back 25-win seasons behind them, the Lady Dragons are poised to continue their climb. The journey to Murfreesboro provided invaluable lessons and a reminder of how far the program has come — and how much higher it can still go.