MARYSVILLE—The thought of never playing another high school basketball game didn’t sit well with Oak Harbor senior Felicia Hill.
So when the Wildcats fell behind by one point after three quarters of their loser-out district game with Everett Saturday afternoon, Hill was quick to find an answer.
“That was definitely a determinate in the game,” she said. “ I didn’t want to end my senior season with five losses.”
On the first two OHHS possessions of the fourth quarter, Hill came out with fire in her eyes. The 5-foot-8-inch forward nailed two consecutive three pointers from the left baseline, propelling the Wildcats to a lead they would not relinquish and a 48-42 victory.
“I was feeling it and I was just setting up on the three point line ready to shoot,” she said.
Everett managed to pull within one with 6:30 left in the contest, but again Oak Harbor had an answer. Two free throws by junior Keely Smollack, coupled with hard-driving layup and a three-pointer from junior Heidi McNeill, completed a 7-0 response from the Cats.
“I thought we did some really good things in the second half on defense and offense,” Wildcat head coach Brett McLeod said.
Oak Harbor shot 42-percent from the field in the second half, while forcing Everett into nine turnovers and committing only one of its own.
The first half was a different story for OHHS.
The Wildcats shot a combined 4-for-18 (22-percent) in the first half, while turning the ball over 12 times.
“In the first we were a little shaky—it didn’t seem like we were on the same page,” McLeod said.
Fortunately for OHHS, the Seagulls also had their difficulties. Everett shot a cold 7-for-27 (25-percent) in the opening half, combining for eight turnovers of their own. The Seagulls led a low-scoring match up, 18-16, going into the locker room.
Hill finished the game 4-of-8 from behind the three point line, with 15 points. McNeill also had 15 points for the Cats, scoring seven of those in the fourth quarter. Junior Amanda Watts added 10 for the Cats.
Becca Crossen had 12 points for the Seagulls, followed by sister Rachel with 11.
The victory halted a four-game losing streak and moves Oak Harbor into another loser-out game at 8 p.m., tonight, March 3 against Kamiak at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
“I didn’t want the seniors to go out losing five in a row,” McLeod said. “You never know now—momentum could shift in the other direction for us.”
Kamiak enters tonight’s game with a 13-9 overall record, coming off a 44-39 loss to surprising Lake Stevens.
If Oak Harbor is able to defeat the Knights tonight, they will face the Monroe/Edmonds-Woodway winner at 6 p.m., Friday, March 5 at MPHS. Whoever takes that game moves on to a winner-to-state game at 4 p.m., Saturday, March 6 against either Lake Stevens or Snohomish at Jackson High School in Mill Creek.
Oak Harbor 6 10 13 19—48
Everett 8 10 12 12—42
Scoring—OH: Hill 15, McNeill 15, Watts 10, White 6, Smollack 2.
E: B. Crossen 12, R. Crossen 11, Luatua 6, Larsen 4, Homer 3, Austin 2, Hornyak 2, Olson 2.
