Cardinals Run Past Asotin

WAITSBURG - Both Cardinals basketball teams succeeded this year where they failed last year. They beat top-ranked Asotin Friday and remained undefeated in the league this far into the season.

They continued their winning streaks Saturday by trouncing the Mac-Hi Pioneers.

The biggest test and first real challenge for the Lady Cardinals came at the start of the weekend against league rival Asotin.

They edged out the Panthers 52-50 in a cliff hanger of a game that could have easily gone either way.

"We hung on and won," WP head coach Jerry Baker said about Friday night's Kison Court victory.

The sense of elation over beating the mighty Panthers was so pent-up, a WP fan who thought the game-ending buzzer had sounded ran onto the court in a premature celebration with several second to go.

"This was big," Baker said. "None of these girls have ever beaten this power house."

And although the ultimate triumph was as narrow as they come, "a win is a win," he said.

WP started out trailing, allowing Asotin to build up a near double-digit lead (10-1) during the first quarter. The opportunities were there, but the Cardinals didn't execute well on rebounds and shots.

But the girls, whom Baker said had been starting flatfooted in all three previous games as well, turned their fortunes around quickly and closed the first period only one point behind at 13-12. Ronnie Hulce, Genesis Pearson and Megan Withers led the comeback.

The traditional league rivals' fight continued into the second quarter. It was physically tough. Cardinals and Panthers were in handto hand combat for the ball, struggling for possession under the basket and persisting in their wrestling matches as they tumbled to the floor.

"Before this, we had pretty easy games," Baker said. "Asotin is a quality opponent. They play some very scrappy ball."

By the end of the first half, the Cardinals proved scrappier. They were up 29-24.

During the third quarter, the Cardinals barely kept their lead. Though the defense performed well, the girls scored only 6 points while allowing 9 Panthers points. The third quarter ended 35-32 in WP's favor.

The teams stayed almost dead even up to the end. The game was decided in the final seconds. With 10 seconds left on the clock, Asotin's Jessica Prior's two free-throw scores put the Panthers ahead 50-49.

The Cardinals took full advantage of what looked like its last possession. On their quick attack on the Panthers' key, Genesis Pearson laid up the ball for two points and drew the foul, bringing her to the free-throw line with barely three seconds to go.

Already ahead by 1 point, Pearson sealed her team's victory by adding an extra point to the score before the buzzer sounded and the home court erupted in celebration.

"I had confidence in us," said Kristen Potter, whose characteristic hustling garnered the Cardinals steals, rebounds and points until she was fouled out early in the fourth quarter. "I knew if we all had a good day we could win."

Potter said the team worked hard to prepare for their face-off against Asotin, and the extra effort made the difference.

"It felt like a big accomplishment," she said. "The practices paid off."

Baker said though the team was diligent before and during the game, the margin of victory would have been greater if the players had been more effective from the free-throw line.

" That's our Achilles Heel," he said. "We only had 10 out of 31. We were lucky to get the win."

The Cardinals men won by a somewhat wider margin, but it took all they had to overcome the Panthers.

"Our kids played with a lot of heart," head coach T.J. Scott said about his team. "It was a big, emotional game."

WP's defense was the key to its 49-42 victory over Asotin. Panthers star player Ben Servatius, who averages 20 points per game, was kept to only eight, Scott said. "We kept them out of their game."

The Cardinals had a small but consistent lead throughout most of the game. The first quarter ended 11- 7 and the second 18-13. After the half, WP opened its lead with steals, rebounds and two back-to-back treys from Dustin Wooderchak, who, with 12 points, was the team's second-highest scorer after Zach Bartlow, who had 13.

"I can shoot treys sometimes, but it's not my specialty," Wooderchak said. "The coach just told me to keep shooting."

Tight passing under the basket, good rebounding and drawing fouls helped boost the Cardinals' margin to a double-digit spread.

By the end of the third quarter, WP was up 34-22, a lead that became a cushion in the fourth when Asotin launched a counter attack with 2-pointers and a trey to bring them within seven.

But Cardinal T.J. Hofer scored and drew the foul on the other end of the court, pushing WP's lead back to two digits with less than a minute and a half to go. Several more Asotin scores threatened the Cardinals' lead again until Kris Cady drew the last foul of the game and secured his team's win on a seven-point margin.

"It keeps us undefeated in the league," said Cady, who had a spectacular fourthquarter steal on the verge of the sideline which he kept inbounds with an athletic jump pass to sustain his team's momentum.

Both teams defeated the Mac-Hi Pioneers on Saturday. The Lady Cardinals dismantled the Pioneers 68-20. A big point spread from the start (it was 33-14 at halftime) allowed Baker to sub in several younger players. When the score reached 45-19, Kayla Huxoll, Katie Hofer, Dionna Baker, Amanda Moss and Taylor Doepker took the court and rotated with at least two veteran starters alongside them.

" Everybody got some playing time," Baker said.

The Pioneers were plenty enterprising with steals and rebounds, but they didn't convert their opportunities into points. Most of their shots missed the mark.

"Their girls played hard, but they only had four baskets all game," Baker said. Their other points were free throws.

The WP men beat Mac- Hi 57-30. After Friday's big game against Asotin, the Cardinals came out flat against the Pioneers in the first half, barely leading their opponent at 23-20.

"They outworked us on both ends of the floor," Scott said. "They out rebounded us. It was the worst half of basketball this year."

At halftime, Scott talked to his players about getting their energy up, reminding them that they just can't simply show up and expect to win. It worked. From the opening possession to the end of the game, "they amped it up," he said.

The Cardinals face more tough opponents this weekend when they play DeSales and Tri Cities Prep away Friday and Saturday.

Cardinals Men

WP vs. Asotin (Jan. 7)

49-42

WP 11 7 16 15 49

Asotin 7 6 9 20 42

WP (49): Zach Bartlow 13; Dustin Wooderchak 12;

Kris Cady 10; Matt Hamilton 4; T.J. Hofer 3; Guillermo

Hernandez 3; Dalton Estes 2; and David Brock 2. Free

throws: 5/16 for 31 percent.

WP vs. Mac-Hi (Jan. 8) 57-30

WP 16 7 21 13 57

Mac-Hi 7 13 5 5 30

WP (57): Zach Bartlow 16; Matt Hamilton 12; Kris

Cady 10; Guillermo Hernandez 5; David Brock 4; Justin

Zuger 3; Dalton Estes 3; T.J. Hofer 2 and Tre Brannock

2. Free throws: 11/24 for 46 percent.

Lady Cardinals

WP vs. Asotin (Jan. 7)

52-50

WP 12 17 6 17 52

Asotin 13 11 9 18 50

WP (52): Genesis Pearson 17; Ronnie Hulce 14; Megan Withers 9; Kristen Potter 4; Alyssa Hafen 3; Kayla

Huxoll 2 and Dionna Baker 2. Free throws: 10/31 for 32

percent.

WP vs. Mac-Hi (Jan. 8)

68-20

WP 16 17 19 16 68

Mac-Hi 5 9 5 1 20

WP (68): Genesis Pearson 16; Megan Withers 7; Krystal Harris; Katy Hofer 6; Hailey Goenen 6; Kristen Potter

5; Kayla Huxoll 5; Taylor Doepker 4; Ronnie Hulce 4;

and Dionna Baker 4. Free throws: 8/10 for 80 percent.