Smoke Signals 9
Lady Bulldogs Streak Cut Short
The Willamina Girls' basketball team finished seventh in the state this year. They were co-champs of the
West Valley League, but in the end, they lost a close one to the defending and eventual state champs.
APRIL 1, 2004
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Tribal Member Janel Lara
By Ron Karten
"It was such a huge team effort," said Jerry
Grant, Coach of the girls' basketball team at
Willamina High School this year. "We went 25
4. We were co-champions of the West Valley
League. We finished seventh in the state in the
last 2-A Coaches poll. It was a
great season. It really was."
The Lady Dawgs competed
through the second round of
the state playoffs, hitting a
brick wall in the name of the
Myrtle Point Bobcats, last
year's defending champs and
this year's winners.
And even at that, the Dawgs
"played them tough," said
Grant. "With a minute and a
half left, they were up by four.
We had to foul and they made
their free throws."
"They're big. They play tough defense. They
have a good outside game and a good inside
game. You can't concentrate on any one thing.
We concentrated on their outside game and they
went inside. We concentrated on their inside
game and they went outside," said Grant.
Tribal member and post Caitlin Zimbrick, a
senior this year, was named to the First Team
All West Valley League and the Statesman
Journal's All-Region Girls Basketball Team.
"It was such a huge team effort," said Grant.
"The nice thing about our team, we had 10 play
ers who could play. Ten
kids contributed to our suc
cess. We brought up a
freshman (Brandi Shell) at
the end of the season, and
she did some great things
for us, too."
The team will see seven
players return next season.
"Looking at what other
teams are bringing back,"
said Grant, "the chances of
us repeating as league
champs is pretty good. We
can set our sites higher to get to Pendleton next
year. I have a chance to work with them over
the summer. Two years working with them in
stead of just one year will make a big differ
ence." "For me to come in my first year and have the
kind of kids we had was really a dream come
true," he said.
For One Tribal Member, A Great Way
To End Her High School Career
By Ron Karten
"It was like our first time going to state," said Caitlin Zimbrick. "Last
year, we were one game away. We played Dayton. They beat us. This year,
the game determining whether we go to state was Dayton again, and we
beat them. That was kind of cool."
Zimbrick was a leader for the team all year, according to her coach, Jerry
Grant. "It's hard to single anyone out," he said, "but she just did a great job."
"I think everyone did really well," said Zimbrick. "We knew last year we'd
return with the same players. (We didn't have any seniors last year.) Ev
eryone really just stepped it up this year.
"I was pretty excited because I was a senior and we ended up going to
state."
Zimbrick is weighing her options for college next year, but doubts she'll
play basketball. "Maybe volleyball. Maybe track, too. Right now, I'm lean
ing toward Chemeketa (Community College) to play volleyball, or maybe
Linfield (College).
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Tribal member Caitlin Zimbrick (14)
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Grand Ronde Tribal
member Kim Lara
Photos by
Brent Merrill
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A Grand Ronde Tribal
member Justine
Colton.