The Huskies lost a pair of games last week in girls basketball, 69-28 to Cottage Grove and 63-26 to Junction City.
The team has played every team in the league and is midway through its Sky-Em League schedule. It will begin the second round of games against each team at Sutherlin Friday and then host Sisters Tuesday.
The girls are 0-5 in league play and in sixth place. Cottage Grove, 4-0 and ranked 20th in the state, is in first place followed by Junction City, 4-1 and ranked ninth in the state, in second; Sutherlin, 3-2, in third; Elmira, 2-2, in fourth; and Sisters, 1-4, in fifth.
“We play great sometimes and lousy at others,” said Coach Dave McNeil. “There’s so much potential with the varsity group.”
Each game, different girls are stepping up and leading the way, he said. “How do we get five them to have a great game and play together? When you’re not used to winning,” it’s hard to change the mindset.
“They have the skills,” McNeil said. It’s more about the mental game at this point.
McNeil said he’s been happy to see Shahalie Erickson stepping up to the plate recently, and Sydney Mauer “offers a pretty good defense.”
Alana Silver has been feeling better, and she’s been playing better defense and with more energy, McNeil said. She’s been big inside, and that’s something the team has needed.
He said he’s been playing junior varsity players Natalie Rodgers, Rebekah Belcher and Christina Belcher more at the varsity level to help get them acclimated to the varsity court for next year.
The JV team has been winning games, he said. “The five to six we’ve had, they’ve come together.”
Junction City 63,
Sweet Home 26
On the road Friday, the Huskies were scoreless the first quarter, and Junction City built a 36-1 halftime lead.
Sweet Home started scoring in the third quarter and trailed 49-11 going into the fourth quarter, when they put up another 15 points.
Sweet Home 0 1 10 15 – 26
Junction City 17 19 13 14 – 63
Sweet Home scoring: Shahalie Erickson 9, Sydney Mauer 5, Natalie Rodgers 3, Kelika Aiona 3, Kayla Miller 2, April Underwood, Rachel Busek, Alana Silver, Rebekah Belcher, Kennedi Waldrop. Totals: 8 6-12 26
Junction City scoring: Madison Mehlbrech 15, Evans 11, Norris 10, Bruhn 8, Ohman 8, Hernandez 5, Bedacht 3, Potter 2, Reerslev, Thompson, Liebersbach. Totals: 25 9-14 63
Three-point goals: Sweet Home: Rodgers, Aiona. Junction City: Norris 2, Hernandez, Mehlbrech.
Cottage Grove 69,
Sweet Home 28
In Sweet Home Jan. 23, Cottage Grove held the Huskies scoreless in the first quarter and led 37-4 at halftime.
The Huskies trailed 48-14 after three quarters and scored 14 points to finish the game.
Cottage Grove 24 13 11 21 – 69
Sweet Home 0 4 10 14 – 28
Cottage Grove scoring: Keara Murphy 14, Kelty 13, Child 9, Ladd 9, Pardee 6, Schatz 5, Blomquist 4, Bethke 3, May 2, Fain 2, Gardner 2. Totals: 29 9-15 69
Sweet Home scoring: Underwood 7, Erickson 6, Miller 5, Mauer 5, Anna Coleman 2, Rebekah Belcher 2, Christina Belcher 1, Busek, Rodgers, Waldrop. Totals: 10 6-11 28
Three-point goals: Cottage Grove: Schatz, Bethke. Sweet Home: Underwood 2.
Junior Varsity
Sweet Home’s JV team lost 43-38 to Junction City. The Huskies were led by Rebekah Belcher with 15 points. Natalie Rodgers added nine, with a three-pointer.
The team lost to Cottage Grove 67-17. Belcher and Rodgers led the Huskies with five points each, and Kirsten Watkins added four.