Bulldogs take down Hawks
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY) Senior Maddie Morgan pulls up for a 3-pointer during the game against Lakeland on Friday.
SANDPOINT — Experience proved to be key in Sandpoint’s 55-43 win over Lakeland on Friday night as seniors Dawson Driggs and Maddie Morgan combined to score 33 points.
“I’m ecstatic for everybody that came back from last years team,” head coach Will Love said. “I know they were really disappointed with the outcome last year.”
In the first quarter it was clear what the Bulldogs strategy was to slow down defending league MVP Katie Ryan — double and sometimes triple team her when the Hawks passed her the ball down low.
Early on the strategy didn’t work so well as Lakeland jumped out to a 13-4 lead.
But as the first quarter went on and the second quarter began, forcing Ryan’s teammate to beat the Bulldogs zone and handle the ball more forced the Hawks to commit a handful of turnovers.
Senior Maddie Morgan also heated up from the outside knocking down a trio of 3-pointers in the second quarter. She finished with 12 points in the half helping Sandpoint take a 28-27 lead into the break.
The third quarter saw both teams struggle to find an offensive rhythm. The score was 37-36 after three.
With the crowd trading cheers back and forth, it was the Bulldogs that rose to the occasion and inserted their will in the fourth quarter.
Led by senior Dawson Driggs, the Sandpoint defense shut down Lakeland in the final quarter forcing eight turnovers.
The Bulldogs outscored the Hawks 18-7 in the fourth.
Driggs finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and four steals and Morgan tallied 15 points.
Lakeland’s Ryan had 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Lakeland 15 12 9 7 — 43
Sandpoint 12 16 9 18 — 55
LAKELAND — Boyer 0, Tingey 2, McDevitt 0, Heff 2, Ryan 14, Hostetler 0, Loutzenhiser 15, Kiefer 4, Woempner 6.
SANDPOINT — Cessna 7, Lish 0, Day. Driggs 0, Morgan 15, Daw. Driggs 18, Edwards 0, Steiger 2, Phillips 2, Larson 7, Platte 0, Banks 4.