Broncos Stay On Track Unbeaten Ritzville Rolls Over Tekoa-Oakesdale

The train kept a rollin’.

On the first stop of their quest for a second straight title, the top-ranked and unbeaten Ritzville Broncos dismantled a fine Tekoa-Oakesdale team 44-29 in the Wednesday evening session of the girls State B basketball tournament in the Arena.

“That was by far the best team we’ve played this season,” said Tekoa-Oakesdale coach Mark Stinson. “They’re not only a great basketball team, but they’re also a classy bunch of girls.”

Ritzville (26-0) jumped out to a big lead and never allowed the Nighthawks (24-4) to get within striking distance.

“Defense, defense, defense,” said Broncos coach Howard Manke. “That was a good, very physical team we just beat. We didn’t do anything spectacular … we kind of just gradually pulled away.”

The scary thing is Ritzville can play better, at least offensively.

Junior center Megan Yerxa never got untracked. She picked up two fouls in the first quarter, sat out the second and didn’t score until the 1:50 mark of the third, when her basket ran Ritzville’s lead to 20 points.

Shannon Russel was money in the bank from the floor. The senior hit 5 of 10 shots, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and finished with a game-high 14 points in 3-plus quarters.

Stinson wasn’t surprised. “We knew coming in that we had to stop Russel if we were going to have a chance to win,” he said. “Obviously, we didn’t do that. She’s just a great player. But, hey, everybody on that team can score.”

Heather Cox gave the Nighthawks a 2-0 lead with a jumper 20 seconds into the game.

But Russel tied it with a layup and Jamie Alspach completed a three-point play for a 5-2 Broncos lead. Erin Weber made a layup and Alspach scored a rebound basket to put Ritzville up 9-3. T-O would get no closer.

“Our motto’s been the first one to 40 wins,” stated Stinson. “We didn’t even come close to getting 40, but I thought we played a good defensive game.”

The Broncos have now won 36 straight games.

“Early on we had a couple of games where the girls played ho-hum,” Manke said. “But since the district tournament they’ve really played well.

“They’re on a mission. They focus on one game at a time. It’s just a locker room full of winners. They know what it takes to get the job done and they’re willing to sacrifice to make it happen. The girls all know their roles and they don’t complain.”

One of those role players in Alspach.

The junior scored eight points, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, dished out three assists and made two steals.

“Jamie is one of those players who doesn’t get a lot of ink,” Manke stated. “But I’ll tell you what, she’s been a horse on the boards for us. She can score and she plays tough defense.”

Ritzville plays Morton tonight at 9:30. Sprague-Harrington plays Sunnyside Christian at 8 p.m. in the winners’ bracket. Tekoa-Oakesdale plays a loser-out game against Cascade Christian at 1:30.

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