West Valley Turns Back Rival

Frontier League girls

Were Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia present, or was it the force that was with host East Valley Friday night when the Knights and West Valley dueled for the honor of the Golden Throne?

Utilizing a Star Wars theme, the Knights captured the Golden Throne spirit competition for the third consecutive year.

But on the court, the Eagles girls prevailed 55-41 in the Frontier League basketball game in front of a wild, turnaway crowd.

The first-place Eagles (12-2, 7-0) took the lead early in the first quarter and were never threatened. Sherry Shollenberger made a layup for West Valley at the first-quarter buzzer and the lead was 20-6.

East Valley closed to within 30-22 at the half, but West Valley’s Gabby McClintock came on strong with 10 of her 12 points in the second half.

McClintock and Keisha Sowers each had seven of their 11 rebounds in the second half.

“We just knew our shots weren’t falling and coach (Mark Kuipers) said just keep shooting and they will,” said McClintock, adding that Kuipers told the team, “if they don’t, go get the rebound.”

The Knights (4-11, 1-6) rallied behind sophomore Rebecca Triplett’s 21 points, but drew no closer than eight points.

“Don’t tell my girls that, but she’s the best post in league,” Kuipers said of Triplett.

The Eagles started with full-court pressure, converting several turnovers into breakaway baskets.

West Valley 51, East Valley 44

West Valley 20 10 11 10 - 51

East Valley 6 16 8 14 - 44

WEST VALLEY Monasmith 0 0-0 0, Kallas 1 0-0 3, Nihoul 0 0-0 0, Shollenberger 1 1-2 3, Simpson 0 1-2 1, McClintock 3 4-6 12, Frost 1 4-5 6, Salfer 2 0-0 4, Sowers 4 2-4 10, Roberts 4 4-7 12. Totals 16 16-26 51.

EAST VALLEY Conard 2 0-0 4, Mackey 1 0-0 2, Tomblin 3 1-2 7, Neal 0 0-0 0, Stookey 2 0-2 5, Schumacher 2 0-0 5, Triplett 12 5-7 21, Combs 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 6-11 44.

3-point goals - Kallas, McClintok 2, Stookey, Schumacher, Triplett 2. Total fouls - WV 14, EV 19. Fouled out - none.

Riverside 49, Colville 48

Jamie Rizzuto hit a 3-pointer for the Rams (11-5, 7-1) late in the fourth quarter as they slid past the host Indians (5-11, 2-6).

Riverside 8 9 13 19 - 49

Colville 8 19 14 7 - 48

RIVERSIDE Lamarche 0 0-0 0, N. Snyder 0 0-0 0, Rizzuto 1 0-0 3, H.Wood 0 1-6 1, Stime 5 4-6 15, A.Wood 3 7-9 13, McMurphy 4 2-2 10, Olson 0 3-4 3, Lorenz 0 2-2 2, B. Snyder 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 19-29 49.

COLVILLE Brown 0 0-0 0, Spies 4 2-3 10, Deardorff 1 0-0 2, Brown 3 0-0 7, Evans 0 0-0 0, Braff 0 0-0 0, Wollan 7 0-0 15, Lawson 0 2-2 2, Simpson 5 2-4 12. Totals 20 6-9 48.

3-point goals - Stime, Rizzuto, H. Brown, Wollan. Total fouls - Riverside 11, Colville 22. Fouled out - none.

, DataTimes