Lady Cougars lose nail biter by an inch, resiliant season comes to a close

  • Advocate Photo by Devin Wilber

    Freshman Peyten Goddard scans her options Friday against Rye. The girls came up just short.

  • Advocate Photo by Devin Wilber

    Bailey Fassler and Leigha Terry scramble to guard an open shooter against Rye.



If I had to describe the Lady Cougars this season I would say They Never Gave Up. They battled back from a below five hundred record and a long losing streak, to become a Regional Qualifier.
On Friday, March 7th the Sedgwick County Lady Cougars faced off with the Rye Lady Thunderbolts, in the Regional Semifinals. The winner would advance to the finals and a possible state playoff spot, but the loser’s season would end that night.
The starters were Marin Olson #10, Leigha Terry #12, Carly Orth #25, Halee Woltemath #30, and Bailey Fassler #22.
Rye won the jump and hastily converted it into a 3 by Bryna Burns of Rye. The Cougars would counter when Olson was fouled shooting and made both free throws. But Rye would capitalize on a turnover and would match the two we had just made.
The Cougars would score five more points off of free throws and a two by Carly to end the first, but Rye would do that and a lot more. Rye Jumped to a 15-point lead in the first with Bryna Burns cashing in five straight threes. The score after one was 24-9 Rye.
The Cougars couldn’t buy a basket in the first, only making one field goal. The Cougars thankfully went 7 for 8 from the line in the first.
In the second the Cougars woes continued. Rye would build the lead to twenty, holding the Cougars to only 10 points in the quarter. Marin would score a three to help the Cougars cause but it barely scratched the surface of the deficit. The Cougars would miss a lot of easy shots off of the fast break and Rye would continue to score. The score after one half was 38-19 Rye. The Cougars needed a miracle.
The Cougars would strike the first punch in the third when Carly got the two and one lay up. Rye would counter with a two-point jumper but then there was Leigha with the step back three in transition. The Cougars would go running from there with Bailey making a step up jumper for two, Carly and Halee both driving for a two’s in transition.
Carly, Halee, and Peyten Goddard were forces in the paint grabbing every rebound. The Cougars were forcing many turnovers.
At the end of the third the Thunderbolts would battle and bring the lead back to double digits. After three the score was 46-31 Rye. The score didn’t do credit to how close the game was.
In the fourth the Cougars level of play skyrocketed. It was Rye who would score first with an easy two but then Leigha hit a sweet three to counter. Halee hit a two-point lay up to follow it up. About half way through the fourth, Burns of Rye left the game with an injury and that took all the wind from Rye’s sails.
The Cougars would grab the momentum there and they took off running. Halee would score eight straight points. Even in foul trouble the Cougars were playing physical basketball. Leigha hit another three with three minutes left and that brought the Cougars to within four, 51-47. The Cougars had battled back, and they were in it.
With less than two minutes left the Cougars defense was on fire. The Cougars biggest play of the game was when the defense caused Rye to have a five second violation and that gave the Cougars a chance to tie it up.
Leigha would throw up a three from the corner and it would bank in, tieing it up and giving all the momentum to the Cougars. Rye would call a timeout out of frustration and it looked as if all the cards were in the Cougars hand.
Rye would score two in transition right off the timeout. With time dwindling down the Cougars still had a chance, but then critical turnover gave Rye the ball. Olson was forced to foul and Rye would make both free throws giving them a four-point lead.
Bailey would be fouled with about 15 seconds left and she would capitalize on that Rye mistake by making both free throws. Olson, with only two fouls would be forced again to foul a Rye player to stop the clock but the Rye player would miss both free throws.
With 10 seconds left the Cougars had one more chance to pull off the win and the comeback of a lifetime. With the buzzer ready to sound, Marin shot a midcourt three for the game. The buzzer sounded. The ball looked good but it was one inch short. It hit the front of the rim and the Cougars lost. The Final 55-53 Rye.
The Cougars had battled back from a huge deficit but came up short. They never gave up and they got a round of applause from everyone. It will be a good thing to learn from.
Next season it will be the same team because there are no seniors leaving. The team will be back and better than ever.

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