The Husky girls basketball team just missed notching a win against Sisters Friday night at home.
They lost 39-35 after a tight contest. The two teams were tied 8-8 at the end of the first quarter. At halftime, Sisters led 20-19, but the two were tied again after three, 29-29.
The girls played great, and actually they are playing great,” Coach Dave Goetz said. “They’re working hard. Their coaches are working hard.”
They’re find out that the philosophy, “work hard, play hard,” works; and “things are going to happen,” Goetz said.
Jenny Hamn led scoring against Sisters with 16 points. Paige Niemi added nine; Ashley Danielson, four; and Hillary McCartin, Rylee Cole and Celena Westfall, two each.
Taylor Pelham and MacKenzie Williams each scored eight to lead Sisters scoring.
The Huskies headed for Gladstone, the second-place team at state last year, on Saturday.
The girls lost 65-32. Gladstone led 17-8 after one quarter, 42-16 at halftime and 58-22 at the end of three quarters.
“We played great Saturday,” Goetz said. The opposing coach told him afterward he was impressed how the Huskies kept going and working hard.
“They had 42 points at halftime,” Goetz said. Our goal at halftime was to hold them under 70 points.”
The Huskies also set a halftime goal of scoring 35, he said. They met the first goal and fell just short of the second.
“Again, the girls just went to work and continued to play hard,” Goetz said. “They were encouraging each other, supporting each other.”
The girls also managed to break Gladstone’s press, Goetz said.
Hamn led scoring with 15 points. Niemi added 10; Danielson, four; Cole, two; and McCartin, one.
Emily Tsugawa led Gladstone scoring with 13 points. Bailie Foxwarthy added 10.
Marist defeated the Huskies 61-25 on Dec. 11.
Hamn led Husky scoring with 12 points. Niemi added six; Danielson, five; and Alex Thompson, two.
Allie Rogers led Marist with 20 points. Marshall Kind added 18.
“We’re doing a great job for being undersized as we are for the teams we play,” Goetz said. Marist had two 6-1 players on the court.
The Huskies performed well during the week and the players expect to win, he said. “It’s going to come. They’re going to win a game. There’s no doubt in my mind as hard as they are working.”
Goetz, who is the high school athletic director, is continuing as acting coach through Christmas week at least. The position remains open. He hopes to have it filled by the end of the winter break.
The Huskies will host Junction City on Friday night. They compete in a Cottage Grove tournament Dec. 28-29.