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SPORTS - LOPEZ ISLAND GIRLS BASKETBALL |
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Viking and Lobo girls shine through 2 OTBy Matt Pranger An inexperienced small school team playing against a slightly more experienced larger rival's junior varsity squad with thrice as many reserves on the bench. Most of the 20-plus players will likely see court time. Probably not a thrilling billing for Saturday afternoon. Unless of course you enjoy watching athletic competition in one of its purest forms. Orcas outlasted Lopez in double overtime Saturday, Jan. 10. The Vikings were the victors according to the scoreboard but both young teams excelled in determination and sportsmanship during the often physical game covering two hours and 20 minutes from tipoff to final buzzer. "Hats off to all those kids," said Lopez Island coach Debbie Buffum. "To be in that situation and to have that grace and composure..." "Neither of the teams gave up," said Orcas coach Lisa Gage. "That was good." Lopez freshman Sarah Stanley led all players in points -- 16 -- and court time -- the entire six periods. She sank a game-tying three-pointer in the first overtime. Fellow freshman Marina Steinbrueck missed only a minute and cleared 11 boards for the Lobos. Junior Lyra Dalton was on the court for all but three or four minutes. "They were really troopers," Buffum said. Junior Alison O'Toole led the Vikings with 14 and freshman Mackie Taylor scored her 5 points in the first overtime. Gage was pleased that all 16 of her players, including seven freshmen, saw action. "They're learning a lot," she said. "They were really working hard until the end," Gage said, noting her team played in an overtime game less than 24 hours before against Friday Harbor. "They didn't leave anything out there," Buffum said her team. The Lobos' coach hoped her team would learn how to push themselves past the point where they don't think they can go any more. They did that and then some. "It was completely amazing. What a great experience. I don't think I could have set up anything like that," Buffum said. All the players deserve kudos for their efforts. The other Vikings are: Emma Smith, Halley McCormick, Claire O'Neill, Susanne Mietzner, Chelsie McGinnis, Clarabeth Smith, Ashley Klein, Lily Huffstodt, Makenna Thomas, Katrina Lindgren, April Hofmann, Kathryn Tidwell, Adria Garcia and Ashley Janssen. The other Lobos who saw action are: Malisha Burson, Ruthie DeGraaf, Moira Crawford, Alexa Ogden and Brooke Schober. Maddie Rain, Villina Sanburn-Bill and Hannah Hobi rooted the Lobos on from the bench. Both schools' backers -- including the boys varsity teams cheering in the wings before their extended game -- erupted in applause as the exhausted players left the court. "The crowd was very supportive of the kids for what they were doing," Buffum said. "They were honoring those kids for just hanging in there." Buffum and Gage, her former coaching student, hugged and wiped tears of pride for their players. "Lisa told me, 'Oh, Debbie they did so great.'" | |
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