Lady Outlaws fall to Mazama

The Lady Outlaws' season came to an abrupt end on Saturday, March 2, when they fell to Mazama in the first round of the state playoffs. Sisters lost the contest in a final score of 81-44.

Saturday's game in Klamath Falls was well-attended by Outlaws fans, with nearly 100 people making the long trek to show their support. Coach Julianne Horner said the coaching staff and entire team are grateful to their faithful fans.

The Outlaws kept the game tight the first quarter and at one point held a 9-8 point lead. The Vikings hit a three-point shot to close out the period to go up 11-9.

Horner said, "I felt the girls came out very strong, executing their assignments that they had worked on all week and playing the first quarter just the way we had drawn things up."

In the second quarter, top-ranked Mazama started to show why they had earned a top ranking. Despite solid defensive pressure from Savannah Spear and Jacobie Petterson on the perimeter, the Vikings shot extremely well and extended their lead from beyond the three-point line.

Sisters struggled with turnovers when Mazama heated up a back court press, and at the half the Vikings had extended their lead to 34-17.

"I really felt like we were still in the game at halftime, despite the score," said Horner. "We had taken their low post player out of the offense like we wanted to. Claire Henson was incredible on the boards, and played her best game of the season. Cierra Mann was also very strong defensively, preventing their entry passes and grabbing rebounds every time they got near her."

At the start of the third, Sisters was able to turn up their perimeter pressure due to solid defense by Taylor Nieri, and Hanson and Mann in the post, and Cassidy Edwards and Harley Rowe were able to create a couple of steals as a result.

"I was proud of the increased effort on defense to start the second half, but some nights you play a team that just gets in a zone and can't miss," noted Horner. "Mazama definitely got into that zone tonight. They stretched their lead in the third through lights-out, shooting from deep and aggressive trapping defense."

At the end of the third, Mazama had pushed to a 55-30 lead. Unfortunately, the fourth quarter brought more of the same. Mazama outshot the Outlaws 26-14 in the final period to seal the win.

The Vikings shot 11/14 from behind the arc by multiple players and it was a struggle for the Outlaws to keep up.

Nieri led the Outlaws with 11 points and five rebounds. Rowe tallied eight points, Spear and Moore posted six points each and Petterson added five in the scoring effort.

Horner said, "I was pleased with the effort of the girls. Nobody ever showed signs of giving up, and we had some excellent performances that we didn't necessarily expect. Boston Moore gave us some incredible plays and scoring off the bench, and really distracted their point guards defensively. Harley (Rowe) showed senior leadership late in the game by continuing to play aggressively on both sides of the ball, and Taylor (Nieri) kept the team together the way she has all season."

Horner had nothing but praise for her team.

"Regardless of the final score, I am so proud of this group for continuing to battle every minute of every quarter of every game in spite of all the distractions and adversity they faced this year. The life lessons that these young women learned this year will carry and serve them well in their lives beyond basketball, and I've seen each and every one of them grow and become mentally, physically, and emotionally stronger this season. They bonded both off and on the court, and truly understand the definition of team and working toward a goal. I'm incredibly blessed and humbled to have been able to coach these fantastic young women this year," Coach Horner stated.