Special to the Sounder
In a clash of the Titans, the Saints of Orcas Christian High School were set to do battle against the Cougars of Cornerstone Christian, as the Saints made the trek to Lynden on Dec. 17.
The Lady Saints completely overwhelmed Lynden in their game with a dominant 61-14 performance. Sharp shooting and aggressive play quickly dismantled the less experienced team.
With the win, the Lady Saints move to 2-0. Saints Maddy and Evie Hance lead the league in scoring with 39 points each, while Adia Dolan occupies the third rank in league scoring with 22 points.
After an impressive 47-22 rout over Lynden by Orcas Christian the previous week, the boys’ Saints team found themselves promoted to the “A” division, the top tier in the Northwest Youth Basketball League.
Cornerstone Christian would be their first opponent since being promoted. The Cougars won their opener the week before against the Lynden Raptors by a score of 36-25.
The Cougars brought height and experience to the hardwood, with a squad of mostly juniors and seniors. However the Saints brought courage, determination and heart.
The game started out at a blazing pace as the Saints took advantage of several Cougar turnovers, stunning Cornerstone and silencing the home crowd with an early lead.
Saint’s guard Michael Harris, the league’s top scorer, led the charge in the counterattack taking advantage of the Cougars’ disorganized offense early in the game.
However, the Cougars regained their composure and went on a run to take a 24-15 lead as the first half ended.
In the second half, the Cougars used their size to open up an inside game, led by Brent Berends who scored from the paint with short range jumpers and sky hooks. The Saints cut the Cornerstone lead to 42-32, with 3:30 remaining, after using their speed to steal the ball and score in an electric transition game.
The Cougars pulled away late in the game to win 52-34. Harris finished with 15 points. Cameron Aragon scored 9 points, and Cyrus Amour netted 7 hard-fought points from the post.
Despite the loss, the Saints never gave up the fight, scrapping for every loose ball, and challenging the Cougars with their quickness and agility.
“Our men battled with determined intensity in an emotional, extremely physical game against a seasoned Cornerstone Christian men’s varsity squad,” said Saint’s Head Coach Tim Hance. “We’re working on adjustments to make when competing against teams with great height and physical advantage and look forward to hosting Cornerstone Christian on Orcas Island in January here at OCS.”
