It was a high-energy game and a happy outcome for the Wood River Middle School eighth-grade girls' basketball team Wednesday at the middle school gym in Hailey.
Relentlessly running the floor and harassing the O'Leary Cubs with a ferocious full-court press, top-seeded Wood River (14-0) completed a rare undefeated season with a 41-29 win over the #2-seeded Twin Falls team in the championship game of the seven-team conference tournament.
Wood River's 1-2 punch of point guard Kaitana "KT" Martinez (15 points, 6 rebounds, 7 steals, 8 assists) and forward Cheyenne Swanson (a game-high 19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) did a lot of damage.
But it was a team effort for coach Chet Olson's Wolverines. "Incredible," Olson said, proud of the way the girls played in the championship game and the way they supported each other during the fall season.
Martinez made three steals off the press in the first three minutes of the six-minute quarter and served up three assists—two to Swanson (8 points first period) and the other to Tristan Bowers (4 points). Wood River led 6-0 and 12-4 at the break.
O'Leary made it a game in the second but Martinez answered with a 12-foot basket off a Bowers pass and made the old-fashioned three-point play for a 19-10 lead. In the third period Martinez (8 points) and Swanson (7) helped Wood River blow it open, the lead reaching 19 points.
Students from the middle school and Wood River High School mobbed the winning team after the final whistle. Revving up energy were pre-game and halftime shows by the high school Drum Line.
Haillie Taylor (3 points) was the other WRMS scorer. Rounding out the championship team were Megan Morrell, Michaela Rodriquez, Emmalie Dion, Lucy Paisley, Cookie Benson and Haylee Thompson.
Leading O'Leary was Josie Jordan (13 points).
Wood River, after receiving a bye for Monday's first-round tournament games, had a tough time with Jerome Tuesday on its home court. But Olson's team survived 27-22—Martinez scoring 5 of her 13 points and Swanson 4 of her 9 in the fourth. Taylor had 5 points for the winners.
During the season Wood River beat O'Leary twice, 31-19 at Twin Falls (Martinez 15) and 23-17 on Halloween in Hailey (Martinez 11).
Not since the days of future college basketball player Natalie Green and Jessica King about eight or nine years ago has the middle school seen such a successful eighth-grade team, athletic director Jim King said.
The Wood River Middle School girl?s basketball team proudly poses after going undefeated this season and winning the conference championship Wednesday. Back row, from left, are Cheyenne Swanson, Haylee Thompson, coach Chet Olson, Emmalie Dion, Haillie Taylor, Cookie Benson, Lucy Paisley and Michaela Rodriquez. Front row, Tristan Bowers, Megan Morrell and Kaitana Martinez. Photo by David N. Seelig
