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Wilson gains league's top accolade
Bruins go 3-1 in Classic
Pearson stumbles and so do Bruins in loss to
UPS
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Bucks rock North Lake 51-24 |
St. Paul gets out to a 9-0 lead early and wins in
the first round of the state playoffs |
By B. Scott Anderson, Newberg
Graphic sports editor
E-mail Scott at banderson@eaglenewspapers.com
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ST. PAUL — Despite losing four
starters to graduation, the St. Paul High School girls basketball
team is returning to Baker City, home of the Class 1A state
basketball tournament.
The Bucks beat North Lake 51-24 in the first round of the state
playoffs Friday to earn a return trip to Baker.
Gone
are a pair of first-team all-Casco League players in Jordan Murphy
(also the league’s player of the year) and Jenna Schneider. Also
gone are Jessica Smith and Kimmie Ernst. Coach Mike Murphy has put
together a team with just one senior — Dani Davidson — and a lineup
that features three sophomores and a freshman.
Sophomore Michelle Wilson, the lone returning starter from a year
ago, was a first-team all-Casco league player this year and the
conference’s player of the year. Freshman Julie Drescher has run the
point to near perfection, score and distribute the ball and play
exceptional defense, coaches said. She was also a first-team
all-Casco selection and third in player of the year voting.
Sophomores Desiree Smith and Brittani Brown have been inserted into
the starting lineup and flourished.
“We don’t have our seniors from last year and we have just one this
year and have a lot of new and younger girls, so this is great (to
be going back to Baker City),” Wilson said. “It’s different, though,
because last year I didn’t have to step up and be a leader and this
year I do.”
But make no mistake about it — this is a team. Juniors Alex Barrera
and Erika Wilmes and freshman Katlyn McKillip provide spark off the
bench and are major contributors. And until she broke her wrist,
sophomore Janelle Drescher started or played significant minutes.
With just the one senior, it was important this group play
together, coaches said. Getting to Baker is a big step for such a
young team.
“I think will be a big benefit to these kids (because of their
youth,” Murphy said. “But I can assure you that they are not going
over there just to play. They’re going to go over and battle and
we’ll see what happens. I could not be more proud of this team.”
Against North Lake, St. Paul made a statement early. Drescher hit a
three-pointer and scored the first five points of the game for St.
Paul. Back-to-back Brown buckets put St. Paul up 9-0. Davidson hit
two more buckets and the Bucks were out to a 14-2 lead with 3:55
remaining in the first period. They would lead 16-5 after the first
quarter and would extend the lead to 25-5 in the second period after
six straight points from Drescher.
Drescher’s 12 first-half points were a key to getting everyone else
involved, Murphy said.
“It was huge, because when she hits those shots it opens everything
up,” he said. “I thought they played phenomenal defense. I thought
the team defense was great and we just went from there.”
St. Paul would not allow a single field goal in the second quarter
and only two in the entire first half as it led 28-6 at halftime.
Getting out to a fast start was important, Murphy said.
“I was real proud of how the kids came out to start the game,” he
said. “I wasn’t sure how they would respond to this situation, and
they came out and played well, which was huge for them because they
were able to relax.”
St. Paul had a little lull offensively in the third quarter as the
Cowgirls scored the first four points. Drescher’s free throw with
2:55 left gave them their first points of the quarter. Part of the
trouble was caused by North Lake, which played a tight man-to-man
defense.
“We were working all week against the boys and we didn’t see (that)
kind of pressure,” Murphy said. “So that was a big plus to see how
they responded.”
The hosts led 34-14 entering the fourth quarter and the St. Paul of
the first half returned in that final period. Wilson got things
started with a basket and Drescher, Brown and Barrera all scored to
push the lead to 30 at 49-19.
“The kids responded (in the fourth) and I can’t really explain (the
third quarter),” Murphy said. “Maybe it was that they spent so much
effort and emotion in the first half, and they had to get their
second wind. Whatever it was, they did a great job.”
Drescher led all scorers with 16 points on 5 of 7 shooting to go
along with five assists and five rebounds. Brown added 12 points,
five rebounds and four blocks. Wilson scored nine points with four
rebounds and a pair of blocks.
“Everybody played well. (Brown) played great, (Wilson) had a great
game and (Davidson) played great defense,” Murphy said. “Katlyn
McKillip came off the bench and hit a couple big shots. It was big
getting those minutes from her.”
St. Paul begins tournament play today (Wednesday) evening in Baker
City against Mapleton, a team they have eliminated the past two
years in the first round of the state playoffs. Game time is set for
6:30 p.m. |
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From
March 1, 2006, Newberg Graphic
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