Lady Hornets closer to State Tourney than any team before

WENATCHEE – The Oroville Girls Basketball team might have lost on Friday, sending them out of State contention, but they made it further than any Hornet girls team before them.

“This is the only time that we have record of the girls playing in a “winner to state’ game,” said Hornet Assistant Coach Kristin Sarmiento.

In post-season play the Lady Hornets lost to the White Swan Cougars on Monday, Feb. 14 in Game 4 by a score of 35 to 60. That put them against Kittitas in a loser-out match up on Wednesday, Feb. 16. In that game, Game 8, the Lady Hornets sent the Lady Coyotes home with their tails between their legs in a close 39 to 34 victory. That set Oroville up for a showdown against the Entiat Lady Tigers in Game 10 on Friday, Feb. 18, but this time it was Oroville that was sent home in a 34 to 45 losss.

“It was a disappointing loss to Entiat considering we lost by 11 and missed 15 free throws, not including those that were the front end of one and ones,” Coach Sarmiento said. “The girls won all but the second quarter and that was a big hole to overcome.”

Overall, the girls had a great season, finishing 7 – 5, according to their coach.

“They played very well against Kittitas to knock them out of the tournament and we finished with three of our girls making All League recognition,” Sarmiento said.

Kelsey Hughes was selected to the All League Second Team and both Taylor Sarmiento and Naomi Peters received Honorable Mention.

“Our Seniors will be missed next season, but we have a great JV group coming up who only lost one league game all season. I expect Oroville Basketball to keep improving in the future,” the coach said.