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Highlanders upend South Photos by Drew Fleming South's Whitney Grant (11) dishes off a pass against North Eugene's Heidi Gilbert (22). North Eugene pulls away at the end, 64-48 By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN North Eugene point guard Katie Williams proved to be a one-girl game-breaker Saturday. And South Medford's Panthers paid the price. Williams, a four-year starter for coach Roy Bass' Highlanders, scored 22 points and dished off 12 assists to lead North Eugene to a 64-48 victory over South Medford in the Panthers' gym. "She was responsible for most of their points as a scorer and passer," said South Medford coach Andrea Wegner. "She had a heck of a game for them." The Panthers (2-3) trailed by just five points (43-38), but North Eugene used its depth and athletic ability to pull away in the final eight minutes to win by 16. "It was a lot closer than that final score says until we ran out of gas in the fourth quarter," said Wegner. "We don't have a lot of depth right now with five junior varsity players hurt." But the Panthers, who are expected to vie for a playoff spot in the Southern Oregon Conference, battled the Highlanders in a close contest until North Eugene's superior depth took over. South's Karla Zenz dribbles past Katie Williams (14). South Medford trailed 39-37 with just under three minutes left in the third quarter following back-to-back field goals by Lynn Wooton and Whitney Grant. But Williams and the Highlanders were just too tough. Williams had five assists in the fourth quarter as she found cutters and streaking wings running the lanes to help the Highlanders stretch their lead on the way to their fourth win against one loss. "South Medford has some real good kids and quick big girls," said Bass. "I think they got a little tired and we jumped up by eight or nine points. That can be devastating to a team that has played you pretty even for three quarters." Williams said it was a typical game for her. "I try to play hard, play good defense and get the ball to my teammates," said Williams, who would have scored more than 30 points if she hadn't missed six layins. "Some of those shots weren't easy, but I try to take it hard and see what happens," said Williams, who converted just one of four free throws to go with her cluster of missed layups. "I didn't shoot it very well, but it's still a pretty good game," she said. North Eugene forced many of South Medford's 30 turnovers with its defensive intensity and pressure off its full-court trapping press. "It was kind of a sloppy game at a pretty fast pace," said Wegner. "North Eugene plays very good defense, but we didn't help ourselves with mistakes." Wooton, a senior post, led South Medford with 16 points. Guard Kellie Thomas scored 11 for the Panthers and wing Heather Fossen and Grant both had 8. Post Kristi Hill scored 10 points for the Highlanders in the fourth quarter. Three of her four field goals in the period were the result of Williams assists. Heidi Gilbert of North Eugene also scored on two breakaway layups in the fourth period off long Williams passes. Fossen and Wooten of South scored field goals during the final 1:12 of the first half to cut the North Eugene lead to 31-28. But as time wore on in the second half, North Eugene used its superior depth and athletic ability to steadily pull away. South Medford opens its Southern Oregon Conference season Tuesday at Eagle Point. NORTH EUGENE (64) -- Swedberg 0, Williams 22, Gilbert 16, Hill 14, Brock 0, Goodale 4, Jodoin 6, True 2, Stribling 0. Totals: 27-67 7-11 64. SOUTH MEDFORD (48) -- Grant 8, Hunt 5, Fossen 8, Wooton 16, Thomas 11, Cohee 0, Zenz 0, Adams 0. Totals: 20-62 7-11 48. North Eugene ........16 15 12 21 -- 64 South Medford ......12 16 10 10 -- 48 3-point goals -- South Medford 1 (Grant), North Eugene 3 (Williams 1, Gilbert 2). JV result -- North Eugene won. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.