The girls basketball team from Eau Claire Regis High School rolled into Stanley-Boyd on Friday January 8, but in the end were unable to overcome the Oriole’s varsity home team. When the dust settled on the sports arena Friday, the S-B Orioles girls varsity team ranked 7th in the Cloverbelt-West Conference and with an undefeated record at home had defeated the Regis Ramblers 54 to 49.

But while lightly stenciled numbers on a green background might have made it hard for those forced to watch from a distance to confirm just which Regis players were responsible for what in the Eau Claire team’s effort, the starting line-ups for each of the teams participating, were as follows.

Beginning with the Stanley-Boyd Orioles coached by Alison Becker, the five starters were number 3 Aaliyah Moore; number 14 Jade Fredrickson; number 20 Hannah Hause; number 22 Lily Hoel; and number 24 Teagan Becker.

During the half-time break S-B seniors Moore, Frederickson, and Hause were recognized for their accomplishments, along with their parent(s).

Meanwhile, starting the game out for Regis were number 1 Caitlin Klink; number 2 Makenna Rohrscheib, number 3 Katie Andrews, number 4 Adrienne Morning, and number 30 Jessica Sabbagh. The Ramblers were coached for the January 8 game by Teddy Joas.

In place of the initial tip-off, a new procedure was seen at the Friday night game, with a referee handing the ball off to Katie Andrews of Eau Claire Regis on the east sideline of the high school gym. Andrews passed it in successfully to a teammate and then it was on!—or rather, out of bounds. Passed back in court near the Regis scoring basket, it wasn’t long before first points came, a two-point initial basket made for the Ramblers by Rohrscheib as part of a concerted team effort to break through the Oriole defenses. The second two-point basket for Regis was scored by Sabbagh, but before long the Orioles answered.

Snagging the ball from a failed Regis attempt at a basket, Becker took the ball downcourt for the Orioles before a series of ball passes—to number 10 Emily Brenner, then Becker, followed with number 12 Kayte Licht, to Hoel, and then back to Brenner—netted the Oriole girls their first score of the game, with a two-pointer just across the line from being three points. There were still 14 minutes and 47 seconds to go in the first period. With another basket attempt completed by Brenner for two points followed by two points from Hoel and two free throws by Regis, the score would soon change, tied 6 – 6 with thirteen minutes and thirty-three seconds in the first period.

During a fight for the ball and basket attempt by the Orioles, a Regis player fell to the gym floor and stayed there, leading to a brief halt in the game as the apparently injured player was attended to, game play shortly resuming. Later on, Lily Hoel of Stanley-Boyd would be helped off the floor with an apparent injury before rejoining the game after making her paces from the sidelines.

With basket attempt, whistle blows, fouls and passing the ball in court as frequent features of the game, the score at the half stood 25 to 18 in Stanley-Boyd’s favor, turned around from a brief lead by Regis.

At the half, the seniors for Stanley-Boyd were honored.

“These ladies have a lot to be proud of as they walk off the court tonight,” the announcer shared, then introducing the three seniors. First was Aaliyah Moore, followed by Jade Fredrickson and Hannah Hause. Each of the seniors was helped in recognition by a teammate who presented them each with a large square gift bag.

“On behalf of the Stanley-Boyd coaching staff, the Booster Club, and the entire Oriole family, we thank all of our senior athletes for wearing the Oriole uniform with pride,” the announcer said. “We are thankful for your effort and commitment to the team, as well as lessons learned along the way. We encourage you to always do your very best wherever life takes you. Congratulations to our 2021 seniors. Good luck seniors,” the announcer finished out. Before long, it was back to game play.

With Regis once again starting out with the ball, a turnaround play by number 24 Teagan Becker of Stanley-Boyd gave the Orioles an additional two points, followed in quick succession by a two-point score from Regis, leaving the game at 27 to 20 in Stanley-Boyd’s favor. Lily Hoel returned to the game with 16 minutes left in the second half. With more game play, more referee whistles, plus a timeout or two by each side, the score narrowed to 48 to 46 in Stanley Boyd’s favor, with Regis making a good effort to overcome. With four free throws from the Orioles (all good), another timeout, and a three-pointer by Eau Claire’s team the score with 8.5 seconds on the clock was 52 to 49 in the Oriole’s favor. A timeout and further threepoint attempt by Regis failed, while two more points for Stanley-Boyd brought the final score to a close at 54 to 49, and an Oriole victory.

Lily Hoel of Stanley-Boyd reaches for the basket on Friday as Regis players take various actions in response. Photo by Avery Vait.