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CLOUDY Temp: 39 °F Wind: SSE at 4 mph Wednesday, April 2, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend March 14, 2003 Valley Christian sends Phoenix girls packing By TIM PYLE Mail Tribune CORVALLIS — After seven quarters of dismal basketball at the Class 3A girls state tournament, Phoenix finally got its groove back. Unfortunately for the Pirates, it was way too late — and much too little. A 55-40 loss to Valley Catholic in consolation action at Corvallis High School on Thursday afternoon finished Phoenix’s two-and-out appearance. The score was that close only on the strength of the Pirates’ 21-12 edge in the fourth quarter. "That was the best quarter we played in the whole tournament," said Phoenix junior post Kat Cox. "In the fourth quarter, we showed who we were." The frigid shooting and costly turnovers that began a couple minutes into Wednesday’s 53-33 loss to Philomath in the first round extended through three quarters of Thursday’s season-ending defeat for the Pirates (16-10). The Valiants (21-7), the third seed out of the Tri-Valley League, built leads of 16-5 after one period and 32-12 through two as Phoenix shot 3-for-16 from the field and committed 13 turnovers in the first half. The gap widened to 43-19 entering the fourth quarter, with the Pirates going 2-for-10 from the floor and coughing up six more turnovers in the third. All but on the bus and headed back home, Phoenix suddenly snapped out of its funk in the fourth. The Pirates stormed to within 50-36 on a 17-7 surge and had a chance to cut the deficit to 12 when sophomore point guard Ashley McCarty made a steal in Phoenix’s full-court press with 2 minutes, 45 seconds remaining. But, on a play symbolic of the Pirates’ tournament struggles, McCarty’s layup rattled out, and Phoenix crept no closer than 14 the rest of the way. "We finally got a little spark there," said Kyle Walker, who completed his 14th season as Pirates head coach. "We’ve been playing well all year, and (in the fourth quarter showed) some of the things we can do. ... With the tournament we had, it was at least good that in the fourth quarter that that’s the way we played." Valley Catholic, located in Beaverton, advanced to today’s consolation semifinals against La Grande, a 67-51 winner over North Bend on Thursday. Senior post Mollie Haener poured in 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting to pace the Valiants. Freshman wing Katherine Gram added 13 points, and Valley Catholic fired at a 52.8-percent (19-for-36) rate from the field. Phoenix ended up 11-for-41 (26.8 percent) to bring its two-day, two-game total to 25-for-90 (27.8 percent). "I don’t know what we were running, the guards weren’t penetrating, we weren’t getting looks inside," said Cox, rattling off reasons for the Pirates’ offensive ineptitude. "Nothing was falling. And tons of balls going everywhere, thrown to our parents, that kind of thing." Brimming with energy, Cox was a bright spot for Phoenix in the two straight defeats. After producing eight points and nine rebounds Wednesday, she combined 10 points with 12 boards and three assists Thursday. "She’s gonna be athletic no matter who or where we’re playing," Walker said. "She’s one of the most athletic players in the Skyline Conference ... and she’s pretty balanced in what she gives you every game." McCarty topped the Pirates with 12 points against the Valiants, drilling two of her four 3-pointers — in 10 attempts — as Phoenix tried to rally in the fourth period. The loss marked the end of prep careers for Pirate seniors Kelly Meredith, a post, Shannon Reed, a guard, and Kristi Duffell, a wing. But Walker said they can take solace in having led Phoenix to a successful season that featured an 11-3 record for second place in the Skyline and the program’s sixth-ever appearance in the state tournament. "The kids played hard until the end," Walker said. "I’m proud of them." PHOENIX (40) — Reed 0-3 2-3 2, Cox 4-10 2-2 10, Meredith 2-4 2-3 6, Hanscom 0-2 5-6 5, McCarty 4-12 0-1 12, Unruh 0-1 2-4 2, Duffell 1-7 0-0 3, George 0-2 0-0 0, Kieffer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 11-41 13-19 40. VALLEY CATHOLIC (55) — Gram 3-8 5-6 13, Gates 0-2 0-0 0, Haener 8-10 3-4 19, Whitney 1-2 0-0 2, Younkin 3-4 1-1 7, Gredvig 0-0 0-0 0, Harinski 1-1 2-2 4, Murray 1-1 2-4 4, Coussens 2-4 0-0 6, Johnson 0-0 0-2 0, Reding 0-1 0-0 0, Nachtigal 0-3 0-0 0. Totals: 19-36 13-19 55. Phoenix........................................5 7 7 21 — 40 Valley Catholic..........................16 16 11 12 — 55 3-point goals — Phoenix 5-23 (McCarty 4-10, Duffell 1-5, Reed 0-2, Meredith 0-2, Hanscom 0-2), Valley Catholic 4-10 (Gram 2-4, Coussens 2-4, Gates 0-2). Rebounds — Phoenix 27 (Cox 12), Valley Catholic 28 (Whitney 7). Assists — Phoenix 7 (Reed 3, Cox 3), Valley Catholic 14 (Gats 6). Total fouls — Phoenix 21, Valley Catholic 22. Fouled out — Duffell, McCarty. A — N/A. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S