Monday results; 1/26/09

The Skyview Storm are in first place in the GSHL 4A, mid-way through the season.

You know, high school sports is so entertaining. Watching these young ladies play, feeling the pressure, making mistakes, and making big plays, it is great. I really enjoyed myself last night watching Skyview and Heritage go at it. Thank you ladies. All of you should get out and see a game sometime. Not just yours or your kids team. It's really entertaining.

For the first 31 minutes of the game, Heritage had the lead. In fact for the first 3 quarters of the game, it was clear Heritage was the better team. They stood on the verge of blowing Skyview out, leading by as many as 16 points late in the game. Then the Storm blew in, Heritage made some substitutions, some turnovers, some big shots feel for Skyview, the defense step up, and the pressure shifted onto the T-wolves shoulders. The Storm was the better team down the stretch and the final score 40 - 38 proved it. The Storm won the 4th quarter 14-2, that was the difference. As one of the Storm players put it. "We just wanted it more". So for that 1 minute Skyview had the lead.
Kailee Oliver's defensive pressure and steals prove to be the big turning point. Late in the game, anytime there was a lose ball, or a scramble she came up with it. And the aggression of freshman Maddie Van Liew who seem to thrive under the pressure, getting rebounds and hustling along with some big late free throws, even though others made the big shots late in the game, these two really won the game for Skyview. Van Liew and Brooke Bowen lead the Storm in scoring with 10 apiece. Bowen hit the lead changing shot with just over a minute remaining in the game.
No one hit double figures for Heritage, Justine Joudrey, Clara Russell and Chawncy McClenan lead Heritage in scoring.

Battle Ground and Kelso tangled last night to a 63 - 50 Lassie win. Kelso jumped out early 17-7 and kind of cruise in to victory behind Caitlynn Jackson's 17 points and Carly Perkins 10. The Tiger's got a big game from Gabi Dixon with a career high 24 points, and Mai Galusha with 10.