Lady Cruisers Bounce Back Behind Rebounding in Road Victory
- Skip Smith
- Jan 11
- 4 min read
The Eatonville Lady Cruisers experienced both heartbreak and resilience over a busy two game stretch last week, falling in a tight defensive battle Friday night before bouncing back with a gritty road win less than 24 hours later.
Eatonville opened the week Friday, Jan. 9, at Rainier Connect Arena with a strong start against Franklin Pierce, leaning on defensive pressure and early scoring to control the first half. The Cruisers raced out to a 6-0 run to open the game and held the Cardinals scoreless until the final 1:30 of the first quarter. Jordyn Green scored five early points to push Eatonville to an 8-2 lead at the end of the opening period.
The defense remained disruptive in the second quarter, limiting Franklin Pierce to eight points while Eatonville added 15 of its own. Green continued her hot hand with eight more points, helping the Lady Cruisers take a 23-10 advantage into halftime.
That momentum slowed in the third quarter as turnovers began to creep in. After committing few mistakes in the first half, Eatonville turned the ball over eight times in the third, all of which led to Cardinal points. Franklin Pierce opened the quarter on a 6-0 run before Sadie Mettler stopped the surge with a pair of free throws and Green knocked down a three pointer. The Cardinals closed the quarter on an 8-0 run, cutting the lead to seven. Eatonville entered the fourth quarter holding a 33-26 advantage.
Franklin Pierce continued to chip away in the final frame, opening on a 6-0 run to pull within one at 33-32. A Josie Lavergne basket briefly steadied the Cruisers, but the game tightened down the stretch. The score was tied at 36 with 1:12 remaining after a Cardinal basket. Mettler gave Eatonville the lead with two free throws, but Franklin Pierce’s Boston Chang answered with a runner to knot the game at 38 with a minute left.
Morgan Laird split a pair of free throws to put Eatonville up 39-38 with 51 seconds remaining. The Cardinals’ Zamiyah Redfeather responded by drawing a foul and sinking both free throws to give Franklin Pierce a 40-39 lead with 32 seconds to play. Eatonville had multiple chances in the closing moments, but turnovers proved costly. After a missed jumper and two timeouts, travelling calls erased late opportunities. Cardinal Tea Kioa hit one free throw with 4.7 seconds left to extend the Cardinal lead to 41-39, and despite a late steal, another turnover sealed the outcome.
Franklin Pierce secured the 41-39 win.
Green led Eatonville with a double-double, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds while knocking down five three pointers. Laird, Mettler and Lavergne each scored six points, with Lavergne adding eight rebounds.
The Lady Cruisers regrouped quickly and hit the road Saturday, Jan. 10, to face R.A. Long, where effort and rebounding defined the night.
Turnovers again played a role early as Eatonville committed 12 first quarter turnovers, compared to just one for the Lumberjills. Avery Crowder scored Eatonville’s lone field goal in the opening period, while Delaney Livernash added a free throw. Lavergne was active on the glass with five rebounds, and Livernash added four, but Eatonville trailed 8-3 after one quarter.
Ball security improved in the second quarter as the Cruisers turned it over just twice. After Mettler picked up her third foul early, Savanna Price stepped in and made an impact defensively by denying entry passes. Eatonville tied the game at 15 on Green free throws, then took its first lead on a Lavergne free throw with 1:34 left in the half. Eatonville dominated the boards, pulling down 15 rebounds in the quarter to R.A. Long’s six. The Lady Cruisers closed the half on an 8-0 run and carried a 17-15 lead into the break, holding a commanding 31-17 rebounding advantage.
Turnovers resurfaced in the third quarter as Eatonville committed 10 more, allowing the Lumberjills to stay close. R.A. Long edged the Cruisers 12-11 in the period, but Eatonville maintained a slim 28-27 lead heading into the fourth.
Eatonville opened the final quarter with a 7-0 run to extend the lead to 35-29 before R.A. Long answered with a 7-0 surge of its own to reclaim the lead. Mettler tied the game with a free throw and later put the Cruisers ahead again with another from the line with 38 seconds remaining. After a Lumberjill turnover, Green was fouled and calmly sank both free throws to give Eatonville a 39-36 lead with 10 seconds to play. A missed three by R.A. Long sealed the outcome, as Crowder secured the rebound, was fouled, and ran out the clock after missing both attempts.
Eatonville earned the 39-36 victory.
The Lady Cruisers dominated the glass throughout, outrebounding the Lumberjills 60-20. Josie Lavergne led Eatonville on the boards and finished one point shy of a double double with nine points and 16 rebounds. Delaney Livernash and Jordyn Green each added nine points, with Livernash also coming up just short of a double double after pulling down 10 rebounds. Green narrowly missed a double double as well, finishing with nine rebounds to go with her nine points. Eatonville finished 18 of 32 from the free throw line, while R.A. Long struggled at 1 of 15. The Lumberjills protected the ball better with 17 turnovers to Eatonville’s 35.
Coach Chelsea Caramandi said the weekend showed growth. “Friday was a tough lesson, but the girls responded Saturday with grit and poise. I’m proud of their trust in each other and commitment to getting better.”
The Lady Cruisers will look to build on the win when they host the Fife Trojans on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 7 p.m. Eatonville will then travel for a non-league game against W.F. West and will jump back into 2A SPSL action against Clover Park later in the week, with both road contests tipping at 7 p.m.
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