Eatonville Lady Cruisers Dominate Season Opener Against Orting, Struggle Against WF West
The Eatonville Lady Cruisers had an eventful start to their 2024-2025 basketball season, experiencing the highs of a decisive victory and the challenges of facing a top-tier opponent in their first two games.
This past Wednesday night, the Cruisers opened their season with an impressive 58-46 road win over the Orting Cardinals, showcasing their potential as a formidable team. Eatonville jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, powered by an aggressive defense and sharp offensive execution. Hailey Hall and Tia Schanbeck combined for 13 first-quarter points, helping the Cruisers secure a 15-6 advantage. Eatonville’s defense remained relentless in the second quarter, holding Orting to just six points and forcing two shot clock violations. Meanwhile, Lillian Bickford’s seven points fueled a 10-0 run, giving the Cruisers a commanding 30-14 halftime lead.
“The girls played great defense in the first half, holding Orting to 13 points and forcing two shot clock violations,” said Eatonville Head Coach Deanna Andersen. “We were able to correctly execute new plays and multiple defenses, which kept Orting guessing.”
Orting found momentum in the third quarter, capitalizing on Eatonville turnovers to narrow the gap with a 10-0 run that trimmed the deficit to 37-29. But Schanbeck and Hall steadied the Cruisers, who ended the quarter with a 44-32 lead. In the fourth quarter, Orting attempted to mount a comeback but couldn’t overcome Schanbeck’s dominant performance. She sealed the victory with nine of her game-high 24 points, also adding five rebounds. Hall contributed 17 points and eight rebounds, while Bickford narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with nine points and 10 boards. Additional contributions came from Jordan Green, Morgan Laird, and Sadie Mettler, rounding out a strong team performance.
“Tia stepped up as point guard and led the team with authority, and the girls played great team ball,” Andersen praised.
Eatonville’s momentum hit a roadblock on Friday night, as they faced the highly-ranked WF West Bearcats at Rainier Connect Arena. The Bearcats, led by Julia Dalan—last year’s Washington State 2A Player of the Year and a University of Portland commit—used their full-court press to overwhelm the Cruisers, forcing 13 first-quarter turnovers. Despite Schanbeck’s efforts to keep Eatonville in the game, scoring all five of their first-quarter points, the Bearcats surged ahead with a 9-0 run to close the quarter with a 13-5 lead.
The second quarter saw Eatonville briefly narrow the deficit to 13-7 with a pair of Schanbeck free throws, but the Bearcats responded with two 6-0 runs to take a 28-13 lead into halftime. Schanbeck continued to carry the Cruisers, scoring four of their eight second-quarter points. However, WF West’s relentless pressure took its toll in the third quarter as they unleashed a 17-3 run, extending their lead to 29 points. By the end of the period, the margin had ballooned to 40 points, effectively sealing the game. The Cruisers matched the Bearcats’ output in the final quarter, with both teams scoring eight points, but the final score stood at 68-28.
“They are one of the top teams in the state with one of the top, if not the best, players in 2A,” Andersen said. “You schedule good non-league teams to help you get better. That was a rough one for us.”
The Cruisers, now 1-1 on the season, look to regroup and build on their early lessons. They hit the road again on Monday, Dec. 16, to face the Washington Patriots, followed by a Thursday matchup on Dec. 19 against the Steilacoom Sentinels. Both games are set to tip off at 7 p.m.
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