Oriole girls have tough week in games against Fall Creek and McDonnell

It didn’t quite go according to plan—we’ll just say that.

Coming off a week that saw Lily Hoel score her 1,000th game point at Osseo-Fairchild in an away game high point, the Oriole girls varsity faced off with the Fall Creek Crickets Tuesday January 11 at home, coming away just one point from victory, for a final score of 41 – 40 in Fall Creek’s favor.

Three days later on Friday January 14 they faced off against McDonnell Central in an away game, coming away with the final score 54 – 48, in McDonnell’s favor.

Starting things off Tuesday for the Orioles against Fall Creek were Leslie Derks, Tina Benson, Kayte Licht, Jessica Hazuga, and Lily Hoel. Starting for the Crickets Tuesday were Katie Kent, Gianna Volrath, Tori Marten, Anika Steinke, and Jenna Anders.

Starting the game out Tuesday Fall Creek took the ball at tip-off, before shifting to Stanley- Boyd seconds later with a diversion by Derks of Stanley-Boyd, Hoel taking the ball downcourt. Hoel then passed the ball to Licht, who passed it to Benson, followed by Hazuga, who passed it on further, before Fall Creek retook ball possession to drive things downcourt in the opposite direction.

Following an unsuccessful try for three points by Fall Creek’s Kent, the ball was recovered by the Orioles and passed by Benson to Hoel, who took it back downcourt, passing the ball to Derks followed by Benson before another turnover to Fall Creek.

Retaken by the Oriole’s Hazuga without a score on the Cricket’s part, it was passed to Derks, who took it downcourt, the Orioles passing some more before a two-pointer by Derks from inside the paint, following an attempt by Hoel.

Taking things downcourt, the Crickets tried and failed to score several times, before the whistle blew on Kent resulting in a turnover to the Orioles, who took it downcourt.

Later in the game, the momentum shifted, as a hard pressed Oriole defense struggled to turn around the Fall Creek offense, the result repeating itself at McDonnell after an initial lead later that week.

The Oriole girls varsity face off next against Cadott at Stanley Boyd on Thursday January 20, with the game start at 7:30 p.m.

Jessica Hazuga was boxed in by Fall Creek players Tuesday as she tried to find a path foward and out. Photo by Joseph Back.