Early Friday morning games are not what teams hope for when entering regional tournament play but that’s what Shoshoni and St. Stephen’s faced in the 8:30 am elimination game in the Class 2-A girls bracket at Riverton High School.
Shoshoni took an early lead and never looked back in a 59-35 win that ended the season for the Lady Eagles.
In their opening games, St. Stephen’s fell to Rocky Mountain 64-33 and Shoshoni had a slow start and never recovered in a 37-26 loss to Kemmerer at the Riverton Middle School.
Seniors Hailey Donelson and Sonja Post paved the way to extend their season to the qualifying play-in game Saturday morning displaying good leadership and leading the team in scoring with 19 and 16 points respectively. They combined for five 3-pointers as well.
Perhaps the best, and definitely the funniest play in the game came early in the final period when Donelson tossed in the ball under the Lady Blue basket for a set play designed to rotate the ball back to her on the baseline.
It didn’t work out that way. As the ball moved from the top of the key to Donelson’s younger sister Morgan, the elder Donelson yelled, “Hey” but Morgan set up from the free throw line extended, and ripped the nets for a 3-point shot, her second of the game.
For St. Stephen’s Destiny Sage was a blur of motion, bringing up the ball, setting the Lady Eagles’ half-court offense, and driving down the lane. She led St. Stephen’s with 16 points.
Shoshoni now awaits the loser of the 6 pm semi-final game between Wyoming Indian and Big Piney for a chance to go to the state tournament.
Saturday’s play-in game will be another early one for the farm girls from Shoshoni with an 8 am tipoff.
Shoshoni 12 20 18 9 – 59
St. Stephen’s 8 6 12 9 – 35
Shoshoni – Sonja Post 3 (3) 1-2 16, Sway Fike 2 0-0 4, Abigail Jennings 2 0-0 4, Morgan Donelson (2) 0-0 6, Hailey Donelson 3 (2) 7-10 19, Megan Harris 0-3 0, Tania St. Clair 3 4-6 10. Totals 13 (7) 12-21
St. Stephen’s – Destiny Sage 5 (1) 1-3 14, Shaydessa Gardner 3-6 3, Camryn Williams 1 0-0 2, Tyonna Stiffarm 1 0-0 2, Faelyn Ridgley 1 0-0 2, Shalayna Blackburn 1 (2) 1-3 9. Totals 10 (3) 6-10 35