Knights Almost Trap the Eagles

The night of the living dead is how one fan described the TC student section at Thursday's game.  While the RC fans made noise, screamed, complained, stood, shouted, stomped, and made the TC home court into a Ripon Christian satellite, the TC fans appeared to be taking naps.  If they are this boring as teenagers what are they going to be like all grown up?  Ouch!  This was a championship game, if we had lost RC was tied for 1st, but few TC students even attended.  Where was the student section?  There was room for some RC parents to actually sit in it and they did not seem uncomfortable with all the crazy TC fans around them, maybe because there weren't any.  TC you need to get excited about a team that wins championships.  Teachers, administrators, and staff get the word out that the play-offs are coming.

Lady Eagles Clinch 2nd Championship in a Row

The Knights of Ripon Christian came to town on Thursday night with a goal, to move into a tie for 1st in the Southern League and almost pulled it off.  The Eagles slowly pulled ahead, increase their lead every quarter, and ended the 3rd quarter with an impressive 42 - 28 lead.  But then the wheels came off the TC wagon.  With 3 starters getting their 4th fouls midway through the 3rd quarter and a 4th player picking up a 4th foul at the beginning of the 4th the Eagles had to count on a boat load of reserve players to hold off the surging Knights.  In the end they did just that.  3 starters and one of the 1st players to substitute in all fouled out, those players included Kara Gabrielson, Molly Farrar, Kaisa Spycher, and Becca Muller and Marly Burton had 4 fouls.  You hate to see a game that is so effected by the caliber of the officials.  One actually apologized for a missed call, a double dribble when the RC player dribbled the ball the length of the entire court, posted up, stopped her dribble, head faked, ball faked, and then dribble out of the post, just seconds after the non-call.  It was something to see.  A story for years to come.  As most of the starting team was replaced due to the fouls, those replacing them didn't get the message that they were ahead by a lot and that taking their time was a good thing.  The players took many shots, at least 8, after only five seconds ran off the shot clock.  With 55 seconds left RC had narrowed the gap by only 6 points and had a throw in under their basket.  A Knight got the ball in the corner and took the shot, only problem was that Molly Zuhlke rose up and swatted the rock and collected the pebble.  Just a few seconds later Mary Sargisian somehow did the same thing to seal the deal.  A combination of all the fouled out players and horrible shooting resulted in a game that should not have been so close.

There were many outstanding performances and the team defense, top to bottom, was fabuleous.  Natalie Snyder lead the team, with the most points by any player this year, hitting three 3s and scoring 24 points.  Molly Farrar and Kara Gabrielson also had double figures scoring 11 and 10 points.  The team continued to hit free throws well with Molly F and Natalie S hitting 7 for 9 and Kara making 4 of 6.  Outstanding rebounding helped keep the team ahead with Marly Burton the leader with 12 and Kaisa Spycher and Kara G with 10 each.  In the end the fact that the Eagles are a much better defensive team then the Lady Knights proved to be to much for RC.

The Lady Eagles have guaranteed as least a tie for their second Southern League championship in as many years.  As they play the next two games, one win gives the girls an outright league championship and two wins would give them TC its first undefeated Southern League championship.

Take a ride up the mountain to Mariposa on Monday night and then come to the Calvary gym on Thursday for our final league game before play-offs.

Click to see a comparison of TC and Mariposa @ MaxPreps