Steady play nets Lady Sparts two league victories
By JOHN GALBREATH Sports Editor
Stanwood’s Brenda Bingham (#25) tallied 22 points during the Lady Sparts’ conference-opening victories over Everett and Lake Stevens last week. PHOTO BY JOHN GALBREATH | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
Stanwood’s Lady Spartan basketball team (2- 0 in league, 2-1 overall) emerged from the first full week of WesCo 4A North action with a pair of valuable wins over Everett and Lake Stevens and a perch atop the conference standings – something not seen around these parts in quite a few seasons.
The second margin of victory over the Vikings (48- 39) was admittedly modest, but it was earned with an increasing confidence in the local cagers’ ability to hold on when threatened near game’s end like they were Friday night.
The Sparts weren’t really in danger of losing to Everett last Wednesday after building an insurmountable 19-point lead with just two minutes remaining in the third period of play.
Admittedly, the Seagulls put on a couple runs of seven and six points, respectively, during the remaining 10 minutes, but each threat was quelled with solid play by the Spartans.
No less than seven different Stanwood players scored in the initial 12 minutes of action. Freshman post Rachel Swartz started it off with a hoop inside. Kallen Shaughnessy then found Sarah Titus just outside the key for an eightfoot jumper.
Swartz followed with a rebound putback and before Shaughnessy, the only senior on the club, drove for a sweet “J” close-in.
The latter player inbounded to the Sparts’ Tarah Murphy for a textbook-inspired basket underneath before another Titus hoop and a Murphy-to-Brenda Bingham connection culminated a fast-break layin at quarter’s end. 14-8, Stanwood.
Continuing the sharethe scoring attitude, sophomore Jade Borseth tallied just before Swartz, standing near the foul line, hit Samantha Kelleigh with a high/low pass that resulted in the squad’s 18th point. By halftime the lead had become 24-14.
The local basketeers steadily built their advantage as Bingham made a turnaround jumper and converted a rebound into two more points on two consecutive trips down the hardwoods.
A Kelleigh steal was passed to Borseth who whipped the leather cross court to Murphy who, in turn, banked it successfully off the glass.
Jade Borseth provided the next assist, as well, as she found Kelleigh at the top of the key. Her threepointer provided that 19- point margin that was never jeopardized thereafter.
For the game, Bingham tallied nine points for the scoring-balanced Spartans. Murphy followed with eight, Swartz, Titus and Kelleigh had seven counters apiece, Shaughnessy and Borseth scored four each and junior Kaitlyn Johnson added two.
In the Spartans’ 45-39 win over Lake Stevens, Samantha Kelleigh and Brenda Bingham paced the local effort with 15 and 13 points, respectively, while Rachel Swartz eight, Jade Borsethfour , Kallen Shaughnessy three an Murphy two points contributed offensively as well.
