PLEASANTON — One team was aiming to go from worst to first and one team was searching for its first win of the 2009-2010 season. Both teams came up just short of their goals at the 2010 Pleasanton High Blu-Jays Mid-Season Tournament Saturday.
Uniontown High’s Eagle girls placed eighth in the 2009 tournament. They faced off against defending tournament champion Jayhawk-Linn High’s Jayhawks in the 2010 tournament championship game.
The Eagles and Jayhawks were locked in a close contest in the Pleasanton gym. The Jayhawks were up 19-18 at halftime but the Eagles reversed it to lead 30-29 after three quarters.
Jayhawk-Linn took control of the contest with a 15-3 scoring edge in the final eight minutes for a 44-33 win. The Eagles settled for second place.
Humboldt High’s Lady Cubs squared off with Pleasanton High’s Blu-Jays in the seventh-place game. Both were winless for the season.
It appeared the Lady Cubs were on their way to that win, up 16-12 at halftime. The Blu-Jays rallied in front of a home crowd to outscore Humboldt 9-4 in the third quarter. The Jays stretched that one-point lead, 21-20, to a 32-27 victory.
Crest High’s Lady Lancers had posted their first win of the season Thursday in the consolation bracket over Pleasanton. Could they make it two in a row?
Northeast High’s Lady Vikings turned the Lady Lancers away to claim a 53-20 win and fifth place at the tournament. The Lady Vikings powered to a 35-15 lead by intermission.
Jayhawk-Linn 44, Uniontown 33
The good part is the Eagles have an opportunity to avenge the loss right away. Uniontown (7-4) goes to Mound City to play Jayhawk-Linn (8-3) Tuesday in non-league action.
In the championship game, the Eagles and the Jayhawks were even across the board. Both teams had 14 two-point field goals. Uniontown had five free throws and Jayhawk-Linn scored four free throws.
The Jayhawks made a difference from beyond the three-point arc. Meriel Long drained three of the four threes on her way to 17 points. Taylor Dawson, who had the other trey as she scored 13 points.
“We couldn’t buy a basket in the fourth quarter (1-11) and Jayhawk was 6 of 10 including two threes by Long,” said Ken Holt, Eagle head coach.
Abbie Smith fired in 18 points for the Eagles. Jacy Ermel controlled 12 rebounds and had three steals. Breanna Esslinger had five assists.
Northeast 53, Crest 20
Northeast cashed in 18 of 39 free throw attempts in its win over Crest. It had nine players score two or more points.
Crest scored just five points in the second half. Amanda Strickler led the Lady Lancers with five points and Kurston Gilliland had four points. The Lady Lancers hit 8 of 14 free throw throws.
The Lady Vikings got 14 points from Lina Hensley and Britney Clark had 11 points.
Crest (1-11) is idle until Friday when it hosts Northern Heights.
Pleasanton 32, Humboldt 27
Taylyn Wells connected on three threes and led the Lady Cubs with 18 points. But the Lady Cubs ran out of gas late in the game after pulling to within one, 21-20, at the end of the third quarter.
Pleasanton’s Johnnea Saulsberry had 15 points. The Blu-Jays outscored the Lady Cubs 11-7 in the final eight minutes to record their first win.
Humboldt went 4 of 11 at the free-throw line while Pleasanton was 5 of 19.
The Lady Cubs (0-10) return to Tri-Valley League play Tuesday, traveling to Eureka.
Uniontown (7-11-12-3—33): Clayton 1-0-1-2, Rathbun 0-0-1-0, Smith 7-4-2-18, Poyner 2-0-2-4, Ermel 4-1-2-9, Jurgensen 0-0-2-0, Esslinger 0-0-2-0. TOTALS: 14-5-12-33.
Jayhawk-Linn (13-6-10-15—44) (FG/3-pt): Krull 1-0-1-2, Miler 1-1-2-3, Long 4/3-0-1-17, Dawson 4/1-2-4-13, Pollard 0-0-1-0, Walters 1-0-0-2, Hargrove 3-1-0-7. TOTALS: 14/4-4-9-44.
Crest (9-6-1-4—20): Stephens 0-0-2-0, Catt 0-2-3-2, A. Strickler 2-1-2-5, B. Strickler 0-0-2-0, Kur. Gilliland 2-0-3-4, Honn 1-0-5-2, C. Golden 0-2-5-2, Kol. Gilliland 0-2-2-2, K. Golden 1-1-2-3. TOTALS: 6-8-26-20.
Northeast (18-17-7-11—53) (FG/3-pt): Choate 2-4-0-8, Lehman 2-1-1-5, Clark 4-3-2-11, Hensley 1/3-3-2-14, Brooks 1-0-0-2, Dwyer 1-3-3-5, Brooksher 1-2-3-4, Amershek 1-0-1-2, Tims 0-2-1-2. TOTALS: 13/3-18-13-53.
Humboldt (8-8-4-7—27) (FG/3-pt): Fiene 1-0-2-2, Strack 1-0-2-2, Wells 3/3-3-5-18, Young 0-0-4-0, Davidson 2-1-5-5, Crays 0-0-1-0. TOTALS: 7/3-4-19-27.
Pleasanton (8-4-9-11—32) (FG/3-pt): Saulsberry 4/1-4-1-15, B. Streeter 0-0-2-0, Conn 1-0-2-2, Lowe 1-0-1-2, H. Streeter 1-0-4-2, Byington 2-1-4-5, Lewis 3-0-4-6. TOTALS: 12/1-5-17-32.
Area girl teams lose tournament games
