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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 2016)
March 30, 2016 Page 9 S PORTS Photo by d on s eleski The girls team at Trinity Lutheran Christian School in northeast Portland goes undefeated to earn two championships. Pictured (from left) are coach Brittany Ha, Tamea Mitchell, coach Devon Pearce, Pooja Prasad, Raven Pearce, Anna Ek Juarez, coach Dylana McGill, Janae Boyd, Chevelle Boyd and Sierra Tanner. Undefeated for Two Championships Trinity Lutheran celebrates r aven P earCe When the basketball season first started, the lady Trinity Tigers were ecstatic. They dreamed of having an undefeated season. When the season ended, the Ti- gers had not only obtained their goal, but won two championships. The first was the Lutheran Elementary School Tournament by hosted by Concordia University since 1962, and the second was the Metro Chris- tian League championship. In the league playoffs, the first game was against Tualatin Valley Junior Acad- emy and did not present much of a chal- lenge for the girls. The next game was against City Christian, whom the Tigers had played before in a very close and competitive game. Trinity had to mental- ly prepare for a tough game, knowing the Lions were coming to get them. Coach Dylana McGill prepared her team by saying, “It’s not about who wants to win this game, both teams want the same thing. The difference is who wants it more.” The Tigers were resolute. With a combination of winning the jump ball, scoring the first point, and utilizing their trap press gold defense, Trinity fiercely fought and kept the lead through the game and won, 55-34. Two days later the Tigers were in the championship game against the Life Chris- tian Lions at the Damascus Christian gym- nasium. Both teams entered the game undefeated. Trinity had played all season with only seven players and knew they were going to have to dig deep if they were going to come out victorious. At the end of a brutal first quarter, the score was tied at 9. The Tigers were able to gain a lead by halftime and in the last half of the game, exploded with a run of points scored off of fast breaks and savvy Euro-steps by the Ti- ger offense. The Lion defense could not keep up and by the end of the game, the Tigers secured their undefeated season with a 56-27 win. This is only the second girl’s team in Trini- ty history that has gone undefeated. Thanks to Raven Pearce, a 7th grader at Trinity Lutheran and a member of the lady Tigers baskeball team, for writing this story. Champs in First Season Congratulations to Coach Dexteur and Coach Manny and the Third Grade HEAT Boys who won an AAU Community Basket- ball championship this month in their first year together. The team, part of the Heat Sports Academy at Maranatha Church, won five straight games to win the championship after losing its first game.
