Nighthawk girls end season with win

OAKESDALE - The Oakesdale Nighthawks girls basketball team wrapped up its season with a dominant 85-20 win over the Tekoa-Rosalia Timberwolves Feb. 3 in Oakesdale, and secured the Wheat Division's second seed in the upcoming 1B District 9 tournament.

Oakesdale wasted no time running up the scoring totals in the game – going up 15-0 on its league rivals with just under six minutes to go in the opening quarter.

Tekoa-Rosalia scored four points in the first quarter to prevent a shutout in the frame, but couldn't keep the Nighthawks from further ballooning their point total. The Timberwolves ended up trailing 37-4 going into the second quarter.

Tekoa-Rosalia was able to put up 13 points in the second quarter. On the other end, Oakesdale put up 25 points in the same frame to go into halftime up 62-17.

The Nighthawks would outscore the Timberwolves 12-0 in the third quarter and 11-3 in the fourth to end the season with a 65-point win.

"I love how we play team basketball," Oakesdale head coach Heidi Perry said. "That's something that we've been talking about a lot. I think teams become really special when they not only play with each other but for each other. And that's what we do. Everybody out there is playing for their teammates, giving their all for their teammates. They're not just on the floor with them. They want to play hard for them."

To further emphasize that point, Oakesdale saw extended minutes for their bench players in the second half and emulated the offense that the Nighthawks typically run with the starters: fast-pace, up-tempo basketball with a lot of fastbreak opportunities and extra passing.

"Another thing we've talked about is sharing the basketball, and I think you really saw that tonight," Perry said. "Some kids have open shots but they were giving up those opportunities for someone who had a better open shot. In a game like this it would be easy to be like 'Alright, two more points for me.' And, instead, let's give those to someone else.

"I think that everybody trusts each other. On teams where you play for each other, it's based on trust. We love each other and we trust each other, and I think you can see that watching this team play."

Several Oakesdale seniors were honored before the game: Marilla Hockett, Jessie Reed and Emily Dingman.

Amaris Kager and Kayla Eilerton led Tekoa-Rosalia with five points apiece. Reed led Oakesdale with 24 points apiece. Samantha Holling had 23 points and Bradyn Henley had 14.

Oakesdale faced DeSales on Feb. 8 in Oakesdale. Results were unavailable at press time.

TEKOA-Rosalia (1-18, 0-10)

Briley Smith 1 0-0 2, Megan Maley 2 0-0 4, Kayla Eilerton 2 1-2 5, Marissa Alonso 1 1-2 3, Amaris Kager 2 0-0 5, Riley Terrell 0 1-2 1, Asia Kliewer 0 0-0 0, Justina Crane-Whistocken 0 0-0 0, Joan Barnowsky 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 3-6 20.

OAKESDALE (17-2, 11-2)

Emily Dingman 2 0-0 4, Jessie Reed 11 2-3 24, Marilla Hockett 4 0-0 8, Bradyn Henley 7 0-0 14, Lucy Hockett 3 0-0 7, Grace Perry 2 1-2 5, Samantha Holling 11 1-2 23, Paige Eads 0 0-4 0. Totals 40 4-11 85.

3-point goals – Kager, L. Hockett.