For the week of January 22 - 28, 2003

Next step is big
for WR girls

Senior Night next Tuesday

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It’s a big week for the Wood River High School girls’ varsity basketball team, which is hoping to take a huge step into the elite ranks of the Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference.

Wood River (13-4 overall, 5-2 league) needs to finish an outstanding 2002-03 season in the top two of the upcoming SCIC tournament to earn its first-ever state tourney berth.

Standing in the way are teams like Filer (10-5, 6-1 SCIC) and Buhl (10-5, 5-2).

Wood River took to the road this week to play them. The Hailey girls traveled to Filer Tuesday. They’ll board the bus to Buhl Thursday.

Wood River’s "Senior Night," honoring Kelly Haisley and Martina Clauss is Tuesday, Jan. 28, when Kimberly (1-14, 0-8) visits Hailey. Kimberly is improving, having lost by 6 to Filer and 4 to Buhl.

All six of the SCIC teams seem to be playing well at this point of the season.

Wood River’s goal is to win at least two of its final three league games and put itself in position for one of the top two seeds in the SCIC tournament Feb. 3 at Filer.

Coach Brent Carnduff’s Wolverines made it 10 wins in 11 games, and four straight, by beating Gooding 65-37 and Glenns Ferry 57-48 last week.

Against Gooding, Wood River enjoyed a strong shooting night, 51% from the field, and the Wolverines out-rebounded the Senators 33-21. The Hailey girls led 36-9 at half-time.

Doing particularly well, each shooting 7-for-11, were Natalie Green (15 of her game-high 22 points in the first half) and Emily Smith (12 of her season-high 19 in the first half). Brittanie Toone had 17 for Gooding.

Wood River’s shooting cooled off to 29% at Glenns Ferry. But, despite 26 turnovers, the Wolverines stayed strong on the boards (out-rebounding the Pilots 42-20) and had enough in the tank to pull off the 57-48 victory.

The Wolverines were 17-of-29 at the free throw line led by Jessica King (8-for-10) while the Pilots made only six charities out of 13 attempts.

Green (17.9 ppg) logged her sixth 20-plus game with 21 points and 7 rebounds. Smith (10.5 ppg) continued her strong all-around play with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 7 steals and 5 assists. Syringa Stark added 7 points, 6 boards, 2 assists and 2 blocks.

SCIC standings through the weekend were: Filer 6-1, Wood River 5-2, Buhl 5-2, Declo 4-3, Gooding 2-6 and Kimberly 0-8. Filer visits Declo Jan. 24 and Buhl hosts Declo Jan. 28.

Gooding game: Points—Green 22, Smith 19, King 7, Dawn Bird 6, Alexa Alberdi 4, Haisley 3, Stark 2, Tiffany Wheeler 2. Rebounds—King 7, Stark 6, Green 5. Steals—Smith 4. Assists—Smith 7, Green 3, Martina Clauss 3. Blocks—Green 2.

Glenns Ferry game: Points—Green 21, Smith 12, King 8, Haisley 7, Stark 7, Clauss 2. Rebounds—Smith 9, King 8, Green 7, Stark 6. Steals—Smith 7, King 3. Assists—Smith 5. Blocks—Stark 2.

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WOLVERINE NOTES—Wood River (59.5 ppg) is 17-3 in its last 20 home games….The team had 28 consecutive double-digit quarters before scoring only 5 points in Thursday’s 9-point victory at Glenns Ferry.

The Green watch: Natalie Green has 628 points in three seasons and is on pace to break Laurel Williams’ school career record of 691 points set last year. Green (304 points this year) is on track for Tara Pyle’s single-season mark of 347 set in 1995.

 

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