Wildcats Smother Mustangs

District 7 B girls

Wilbur-Creston accomplished exactly what it set out to do Tuesday night at Spokane Falls Community College.

In the first round of the District 7 B basketball tournament, the Wildcats shut down Northport’s offense, holding the Mustangs to five points in the third quarter and a dismal 28 percent shooting percentage for the game.

After a Northport surge left favored Wilbur-Creston with only a 21-20 lead at halftime, the Wildcats went on a 14-0 run to open the third quarter en route to a 60-42 victory.

“We changed the defense around a little at halftime,” Wildcats coach Denise Wilkie said. “We also boxed out really well and got some key rebounds, something we weren’t able to do in the first half.”

In the late game at SFCC, once-beaten Ritzville defeated Selkirk, 61-34 setting up a 7 p.m. matchup with Wilbur-Creston, which ended Ritzville’s 52-game win streak in January, on Thursday at SFCC.

Other first-round games included Republic surprising eighth ranked Sprague-Harrington at Spokane Community College 45-35 and St. George’s defeating Valley Christian 60-39.

In the other winners bracket game on Thursday at SFCC, Republic will play St. George’s at 8:45.

In losers bracket games Thursday at SCC, Northport will meet Selkirk at 7, while Sprague-Harrington will play Valley Christian at 8:45.

Tuesday, Wilbur-Creston was able to win with a balanced scoring attack from Amanda Matt, Cherie Dreger and Alyssa Erickson. Matt and Dreger shot a combined 6 for 11 from the 3-point line and finished with 14 points apiece. Erickson had five rebounds and five steals in the game and scored eight of her 19 points in the third quarter.

“I was mad because I had three fouls in the first half and had to sit out at the end of the second,” Erickson said. “I felt I had to pick it up in the second half.”

Another key for the Wildcats was playing intense defense on Northport forward Karen Sauvola. Sauvola, who was in foul trouble much of the game, was held scoreless in the second half.

“We were able to shut her (Sauvola) down in the second half with a double-team and high intensity,” Erickson said. “That was what we knew we had to do.”

W-C 60, Northport 42

Northport 8 13 5 16 - 42

Wilbur-Creston 17 5 17 21 - 60

Northport (19-5) - Wilson 0, Ashurst 0, Day 11, Sauvola 12, Jimenez 0, Young 9, Brunette 10.

Wilbur-Creston (20-4) - Thayer 2, Matt 14, Sherwood 0, Dreger 14, Erickson 19, Snavely 6, Pakootas 0, Kemp 4, Lasz 1.

Ritzville 61, Selkirk 34

Megan Yerxa totaled 26 points and 15 rebounds as the fourth-ranked Broncos defeated the Rangers at SFCC.

Wynne Scherf made 5 of 10 field goals, Stephany Smith had four steals, and Keely Emrick added six rebounds for Selkirk.

Selkirk 3 14 11 6 - 34

Ritzville 16 21 8 16 - 61

Selkirk (16-9) - Smith 0, Scherf 10, D. Haney 5, Schmidt 1, Fairbairn 4, M. Haney 2, Kinney 2, Beatty 0, Allert 6, Emrick 2, Steelsmith 2.

Ritzville (21-1) - Wellsandt 8, Sackmann 12, Benzel 0, Fitch 7, Wood 3, Yerxa 26, Alspach 1, Janzen 2, Zicha 2.

Republic 45, Sprague-Harrington 35

Lucy Wilson totaled 21 points, nine rebounds and five steals as the Tigers upset the Falcons at Spokane Community College.

Wilson made 8 of 10 from the field and 5 of 7 from the line. Joleen Hover added six assists and Melody Koontz five steals for Republic, which is aiming for its first state berth in 13 years.

S-H, sixth at state last year, shot only 24 percent from the floor. Amanda Scoles had seven rebounds and Mandi Walters five steals for the Falcons.

Republic 13 12 9 11 - 45

Sprague-Harr. 3 9 9 14 - 35

Republic (19-6) - Hover 6, Osgood 2, C. Merrit 2, Koontz 6, Campobasso 0, A. Merrit 2, Wilson 21, Giddings 6.

Sprague-Harrington (17-6) - Whipple 2, Maurer 4, Hatten 11, Walters 13, Morse 0, Scoles 5.

St. George’s 60, Valley Christian 39

Alyssa Henley had 12 rebounds and Samantha Clarke added eight assists as the Class B top-ranked Dragons defeated the Panthers at SCC for their 21st consecutive win.

Wenchi Liu and Abbey Blume added seven assists apiece for St. George’s. The Dragons’ losses this season are to Class 2A top-ranked Lakeside and 1A third-ranked Liberty Bell.

Valley Christian 9 12 5 13 - 39

St. George’s 13 14 22 11 - 60

Valley Christian (13-11) - Teterud 9, Robertson 0, Altmeyer 0, Smith 7, Rosholt 0, Arnhold 2, Lanker 11, Cupp 0, Peterson 8, Stager 2, Evans 0.

St. George’s (22-2) - Liu 17, Clarke 8, Philopant 0, Stothart 0, Henley 12, Blume 6, DePonty 6, Nielsen 2, Witherspoon 4, Luber 0, M. Kutteruf 2, Longinotti 3.