Document text
Crater girls secure sixth SOC title in seven years ROSEBURG � Crater left little doubt about its intentions. The Comets needed a win Friday to secure their sixth Southern Oregon Conference girls basketball championship in seven years, and that Roseburg, their nearest challenger, was the lone obstacle served only to intensify their purpose. Second-ranked Crater�s stifling defense and all-out hustle led to a 61-37 rout against an Indians team that is unbeaten against the rest of the conference. With championship in hand and with a berth to the Class 4A state tournament Feb. 26-March 2 at the University of Portland solidified, the Comets� next goal would seem obvious: complete an unbeaten league season. Crater is 22-1 overall, 13-0 in the SOC. A win Tuesday at home against third-place South Medford would give it its second straight unbeaten season. Before the Comets pulled off the feat last year, there hadn�t been an SOC team with a perfect record since Mazama in 1991-92. "It was their doing," said Roseburg coach Bob Feasel, surveying the wreckage of 30 turnovers. "They did a great job with their defense. "They came in here and came to play. They knew they were playing for the league championship, and they let us have it, no ifs, ands or buts." In particular, he said, the Comets� perimeter defense thoroughly overwhelmed his ballhandlers. "We didn�t play with the same intensity they did," said Feasel, whose club is 15-5 overall and 11-2 in the SOC. "If there was any loose ball, there were three black shirts on the ground while we stood around." Amy Denson and Sarah Pool scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, for Crater. Feasel said certain quality athletes strive to play in big games and step up when presented the opportunity. The two Comet leaders are examples, he said. "They have a lot of respect for the game, and it shows," said Feasel. Crater outscored Roseburg 33-16 in the first half and breezed the rest of the way. Shannon Burmeister paced the Indians with 10 points, and Lindsey Heard had eight points and 11 rebounds. CRATER (61) � Denson 22, Pool 21, Black 6, Wiersma 3, Robertson 7, Huntley 2, Yager 0, Kinney 0, LeBel 0, Anhorn 0. Totals: 23-63 11-13 61. ROSEBURG (37) � Burmeister 10, Grady 4, Shepherd 1, Williams 0, Stephens 2, Bartholomew 1, Heard 8, Tatone 0, Lint 3, Bitter 8, Kitzrow 0, Coen 0. Totals: 13-34 11-21 37. Crater.....................................................17 16 17 11 � 61 Roseburg.....................................................7 9 8 13 � 37 3-point goals � Crater 4 (Pool 1, Robertson 1, Black 2). JV score � Crater 48, Roseburg 41. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.