SPORTS
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Ellen Morris Bishop/Chieftain
Joseph Eagles player Madelyn Nelson show how it’s done on the fast break during the Eagles’ heartbreaking 42-37 loss to St. Paul on Feb. 28.
Eagles crash-land at second half of state
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
T
he lady Eagles put in
some fine effort, but
it wasn’t enough to
push them to the top
at the state 1A basket-
ball tournament in Baker City
on Feb. 28-March 2. The Eagles
dominated their opponents in
the opening rounds with con-
vincing wins over Ione and
Mohawk before crashing into
St. Paul on Thursday, Feb. 28,
losing a screamer, 42-37.
Although
the
ladies
rebounded versus Days Valley
with a convincing 58-41 win,
Saturday, March 2, saw the
ladies go down in flames versus
Crane, 49-30.
The Eagles had plenty of
opportunities versus St. Paul,
the top-ranked team in the state
but lost by five, 42-37. Coach
Lance Homan said the ladies
knew a win could put them in
the championship game.
The stats tell the story of a
team that couldn’t buy a bucket
with the exception of senior
point guard, Emma Hite, who
carried the team with her 17
points, going 6-11 from the
field and 4 for 4 from the free
throw line while corraling five
rebounds. No one who shot
more than five times came even
close to Hite’s contribution.
Two key starters also fouled
out.
The team’s shooting percent-
age dwelled at the 28 percent
while the Buckaroos were at 50
percent. Also, St. Paul scored
fifteen “second chance” points
while the Eagles had none.
Still, the Eagles showed they
had grit as they sprang back
from a 12-point deficit in the
third quarter to bring it to within
two, at 37-35, with 3:27 remain-
ing and 40-37 with 2:26 remain-
ing until two turnovers and sev-
eral missed shots put the game
out of reach.
Sabrina Albee scored eight
points while handing out five
assists and Haley Miller scored
six points.
“Our kids never gave up
and they fought until the end.,”
Coach Homan said. “I am
extremely proud of how they
left everything out on the floor;
they had nothing to hang their
head about. Losing is never
easy, but it is easier to accept
knowing there was nothing left
to give.”
The following day saw Days
Valley get shredded by the
Eagles’ talons, 58-41, behind an
amazing 31-point performance
by Albee, 23 points in the first
half. The Eagles outscored
Days Creek in each quarter,
so the outcome was never in
doubt. The ladies improved
their scoring with a 36 percent
mark although once again, the
defense gave away 16 “second
chance” points.
Madelyn Nelson popped in
11 points and Albee served as
leading rebounder with seven
while Hite had four steals.
“I was proud of how our kids
fought today,” Homan said. “I
think Days Creek and us were
struggling to get energy and
keep it up, but our kids dug
deep and were able to pull
away. This allowed for us to
get all 12 of our players playing
time at the state basketball tour-
nament, which is really exciting
for them.”
Saturday, March 2, saw the
Eagles end the season on a
sour note, as they lost, 49-30
to Crane, a team they’d hand-
ily beaten earlier in the sea-
son. According to Homan, the
ladies came out flat and with
no energy, while Crane came
out like they had something to
prove and nothing to lose. One
look at the stats tells the story.
The Eagles shot a dismal
18 percent from the floor with
only Haley Miller bringing her
shooting iron to the game as she
scored 15 points while shooting
6 for 17 from the floor.
Albee was next with nine
points, while leading the squad
in boards, with six and steals,
three. No one else had more
than two points.
The defense allowed Crane
double-digit points in second
chance opportunities while the
Eagles scored eight. At one
point, the Mustangs led by 22
points in the final quarter. Crane
led at the end of each quarter.
“I feel bad for our team that
has come so far throughout the
season to end this way,” Homan
said. “This is definitely a loss
that stings and will sting me
for quite some time. Kudos to
Crane however as they played
very well.”
The Eagles notched a 26-5
season and tallied three victo-
ries in the state championships.
‘OUR KIDS NEVER GAVE UP AND THEY FOUGHT UNTIL THE END. I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF HOW THEY
LEFT EVERYTHING OUT ON THE FLOOR; THEY HAD NOTHING TO HANG THEIR HEAD ABOUT.’
Coach Lance Homan
Ellen Morris Bishop/Chieftain
The Eagles’ Sabrina Albee drives toward the bucket during her team’s 49-30 loss to Crane on March 2 in their final game in the 1A state basketball campionships in Baker City.
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