Cottage Grove Sentinel
Sports & Leisure
B1
THURSDAY | MAY 27, 2021
We’re trying this again
A year removed from the
state tournament that
wasn’t, the Lions’ girls
basketball team looks to
earn another shot
ful call came -- were devas-
tated.
Countless tears were
At first, it must have
seemed like some kind of shed, and the knowledge
that just about every oth-
sick joke.
Even now, the memo- er basketball player in the
ry of that day brings Erin nation was going through
Royse to tears. As an assis- something similar was but
mild com-
tant coach
In some
with
Cot-
“We’re ironing out the fort.
ways, Royse
tage Grove’s
2019-20
wrinkles, and we’re b e l i e v e s ,
feeling
girls’
bas-
playing to have fun,” that
left a lasting
k e t b a l l
team, Royse Royse said. “This is just mark on all
and the Li-
a very different year.” involved.
“I think
ons found
ever ybody
thems elves
aboard a bus bound for the walked away from there
state tournament following with a little of their heart
smashed, broken, after
an electrifying season.
“We were the first game working so hard,” she said.
Last week, the Lions fi-
against Philomath,” she
recalls. “Steve (Eastburn, nally returned to the court,
the Lions’ head coach last this time with Royse at the
season) was at the head helm following the resigna-
coaches’ meeting, and he tion of Eastburn. They’re
called us on the bus and hoping for another tour-
said, ‘We need to let the nament trek, though with
players know that it’s been a better outcome than last
canceled, and we have to spring. And though they’ll
call parents, because some be playing to win, Royse
of them are probably on says they’ll also be focusing
on fun with the memory of
their way up.”
The growing threat of a lost opportunity still so
the coronavirus pandem- easy to call to mind.
Of course, in an abbrevi-
ic, and of hosting large
events that could become ated six-week season start-
“super-spreaders” of the ing in late-spring, mere
virus, had prompted the days removed from the end
cancelation of the state of softball and track season
tournament and just about and with plenty of modifi-
every other major event in cations meant to minimize
the country all at once. Of Covid risk, the 2021 cam-
course, the Lions – whose paign is bound to bring
bus Royse says was only surprises.
about a mile away from the
see GIRLS on B3
tournament when the fate-
By Jon Stinnett
Cottage Grove Sentinel
Draped in Creswell defenders, Teanna Child fights toward the rim.
Lions battle back, but bulldogs prove too feisty
Boys’ 2021 campaign begins at home vs. Creswell
By Jon Stinnett
Cottage Grove Sentinel
Lion fans arriving late
to Thursday’s meetup be-
tween the Cottage Grove
and Creswell boys basket-
ball teams could have been
forgiven for thinking they
were already looking at a
lost cause.
Indeed, the Bulldogs
jumped on the Lions from
the opening tipoff, and
before long, Creswell had
opened up a yawning 15-3
lead. But if Cottage Grove
had doubts about its abil-
ity to keep the game inter-
esting, they didn’t let them
show.
The Bulldogs kept pour-
ing it on, and they led 29-
10 not far into the second
quarter. The Lions needed
a spark to keep things from
getting downright ridicu-
lous. That’s when Jayden
Cameron caught fire.
During an inspired 12-0
run, Cameron drained
buckets from all angles, and
his team responded right
along with him. By half-
time, the 5-11 junior had
led Cottage Grove nearly all
the way back, to a deficit of
just 34-30.
“He really stepped for-
ward for us offensively,”
said Lions Head Coach
Seth Hutchison. “We had
a couple guys out, and he
took a leadership role, a
role that’s going to be his all
year long.”
The Lions came out a bit
sluggish to start the second
half, however; Creswell
drained five unanswered
points to start the half, and
a few untimely turnovers
gave Creswell extra chanc-
Athlete of
the Week
es that they capitalized on
again and again. Still, Cot-
tage Grove battled.
Trailing by eight to start
the fourth quarter, the Li-
ons cut the lead to six before
the Bulldogs again pulled
ahead to a lead they’d never
relinquish. Creswell went
on to win, 59-53.
Though a loss, Hutchison
described the game as “use-
ful.”
“We learned a lot about
ourselves,” he said. “We’ve
got a lot of work ahead of
us, but I think we’re about
where we should be at this
time of year. We should
always be improving, and
I thought we battled really
hard.”
On Saturday, the Lions
traveled to Springfield and
see BOYS on B4
Carter Bascue jumps for a two-points shot.
This week’s athlete of the week is
Jayden Cameron
Jayden Cameron scores two during a 12-0 run
that brought the Lions back from a gaping deficit
against Creswell. Coach Seth Hutchison says he
expects Cameron to play a significant leadership
role all season for Cottage Grove.
Jayden
Cameron
scores two
impactful
points during
a flurry of
scoring that
ignited the
Lions in the
second half.
PHOTO BY JON
STINNETT/CG SENTINEL