Molalla 48
Sweet Home 36
Molalla defeated the Husky girls 48-36 Friday night at Molalla.
“They came out shooting the ball really well,” Coach Jason Gorham said. “Their posts both had 10 points. We were struggling to get stops inside. They came prepared to play. They played really hard. Their defense improved from the first time we played them.”
Molalla led 13-8 after the first quarter then 29-14 at halftime. Molalla led 36-20 at the end of the third quarter.
“We got in a hurry because they pressed us,” Coach Gorham said. The Huskies didn’t turn the ball over much as a result, but “we forced up rushed, early shot that weren’t what we’re looking for.
“They were just a little bit better than us. They played better than we did that night.”
Hannah Swanson and Chelsea Hackworth led Husky scoring with 11 points each. Sara Brocard added five; Tabbi Trahan, four; Korina Thompson, two; and Dani Thireault, one.
Laurie Hobart and Ashley Cunningham led Molalla scoring with 10 points each.
North Marion 53
Sweet Home 22
Kelsey Kahle led North Marion to a 53-22 win over the Huskies on Tuesday here last week.
Offensively, Coach Gorham said, his team was getting the shots it wanted, but they just weren’t falling.
The Huskies led 7-5 until late in the first quarter when North Marion started a 29-0 run that lasted into the third quarter, leading 29-7 at halftime and 40-11 at the end of the third quarter.
Many of North Marion’s points came off transition, and the girls weren’t able to settle into a half-court defense.
“They’re a good team, and they defended us well,” Coach Gorham said. Kahle scored 17 points to lead North Marion. She averages 25 points per game, and Coach Gorham thinks she will probably be Capital Conference player of the year. She’ll make the all-state team and has a shot at the state player of the year title.
Hackworth did a nice job defending her, Coach Gorham said.
On Friday, the Huskies will face Sisters at home.
That team is more up tempo and will press and trap, Coach Gorham said. The Huskies will need to take care of the ball, making good passes and not running up and down the court with the Outlaws. They’ll need to be more careful and take good shots.