Senior night success for Bulldogs
Kelsey Cessna (left) and Daylee Driggs (right) celebrate a Bulldog win against Priest River during senior night.
(Photo courtesy JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)
Sandpoint led out the gate against Priest River in Saturday afternoon's home game. Karli Banks had nine points, a putback, and was a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Sandpoint kept their lead and won 76-16 against the Spartans.
Kelsey Cessna scored seven points in the first and 16 total for the Bulldogs. Daylee Driggs had six points.
“Daylee and Kelsey have been playing varsity since they were freshmen so it’s kind of a sad night for me because they’ve been so instrumental in our run the last three years,” Sandpoint head coach Will Love said.
The Bulldogs were ahead 29-4 going into the second quarter.
Aliya Strock hit back-to-back threes in the second quarter and had 10 points overall. Banks cleaned up everything under the basket.
Priest River did their best to move the ball around and get inside the paint against Sandpoint’s tight zone defense.
“We played better than the last time we played them,” Priest River head coach Tyler Douglas said.
Sandpoint led 45-6 at halftime.
Sam Pound hit a three to start the third quarter. Desi Humphrey followed suit with another three for Priest River and five total points.
“We hit some threes and ran a couple successful sets,” Douglas said.
Driggs, Banks, Peyton Cessna, Maggie Bleckwenn, all had three’s and Lily Richardson was 4-4 from the free-throw line for the Bulldogs.
Pavin Coleman stepped up on defense for the Spartans.
Sandpoint led 60-16 heading into the final quarter.
Jetta Thaete entered the game for the Bulldogs.
“As a freshman, she has a lot of potential and is just learning about how good of a basketball player she can be,” Love said.
Thaete scored seven points in the fourth quarter and Sandpoint held the Spartans to zero points.
Love made special mention of the Sandpoint seniors.
“They came in their freshman year, went to state, and we’ve gone every year since then,” Love said. “They’re definitely a part of that legacy of Maddie Schoening, Grace Kercher, Dawson Driggs, the whole group of them who have allowed us to maintain the success for the last decade.”
“They’ve been huge for the program, we have 35 girls playing basketball this year, we’ve never had that many,” Love said.
The final score was 76-16 Bulldogs.
Sandpoint travels to Moscow on Tuesday and Priest River hosts St. Maries.
Sandpoint 29 16 16 15 — 76
Priest River 4 2 10 0 — 16
SANDPOINT: K. Cessna 16, De. Driggs 2, Da. Driggs 11, P. Cessna 9, David 0, Richardson 4, Tuinstra 2, Strock 10, Banks 12, Thaete 7.
PRIEST RIVER — Marinello 0, Pound 3, Thompson 0, Burgess-Duguette 6, Humphrey 5, Yount 0, McCracken 0, Kingery 2, Jensen 0, Coleman 0.