Tough games for the Warriors

Girls lose 27-21, boys fall 84-49

Senior Darian Simpson of the Del Norte High boys varsity team gets ready to put up a shot agaisnt Phoenix, Ore., on Friday in Brookings. Wescom News Service/Jef Hatch

While the Warrior girls played solid defense they could not get baskets in the bucket as Myrtle Point took full advantage of having no shot clock up in Oregon and slowed the pace down to its advantage. Del Norte fell in the low scoring contest, 27-21.

On the boys side, Del Norte had quite the challenge against Phoenix, which won the Oregon 4A state title last season.

The Warriors stayed with the Pirates in the first half and were down only nine at the half.

In the second half Phoenix shot the ball lights out as the Warriors were made to walk the plank, 84-49.

Warrior girls

In the girls contest, Del Norte trailed only 12-10 at the half and played well the majority of the way, head coach Buzz McCulloch said. The problem was the Bobcats did enough of the little things to maintain the lead until the end.

Del Norte could not hit shots consistently as Myrtle Point held onto the ball for as long as they could until they had a good look at the basket. Unlike in California there is no shot clock in place in Oregon.

If the game was held in California things may have turned out a bit differently, McCulloch said.

“They would have had to put up a shot much more quickly,” he said.

McCulloch commended senior Shauna Ratnour for her solid play on both sides of the ball as she led the team with 10 points.

Del Norte was without its leading   scorer from last year, Brittany Maready, who suffered a right knee injury during a game last week at a tournament in Yreka.

Unfortunely, on Friday, McCulloch said that they received word there was a good chance she will be out for the year.

“It’s definitely a big loss for us,” McCulloch said. “She was our outside threat.”

Now, McCulloch said that the other girls must step up as they search for scorers that can fill the slack from losing Maready.

Del Norte fell to 1-3 for the year. They face Bandon, Ore., today at 1 p.m. in the consolation bracket of the tournament at Brookings-Harbor High School.

Warrior boys

 The young, inexperienced Warriors boys squad more than held their own in the first half against the Pirates, which has almost its entire team back from last year’s title run.

Del Norte lost all its starters from  last year and return only three players.

The Warriors kept things close in the early going and were down only 14-11 in the middle of the opening quarter.

The Pirates proceeded to get going  on offense as they led 20-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Del Norte battled back in the second  quarter. A 3-pointer by Darian Simpson cut the Pirate lead to 22-19. But Phoenix was able to keep the Warriors at bay as they led 37-28 at the half.

“I thought we played well in the first half,” Del Norte head coach Blaine Lopez said. “I thought we did much better in the first half than we did last weekend (at the Yreka Tournament). There was improvement.”

To start the second half the Pirates busted the game wide open as the Warriors had no answer on how to contain their opponent. By the end of the quarter Phoenix had a 63-34 advantage as they ran away with the game by 25 points.

“They didn’t miss a shot,” Lopez said about how Phoenix started the second half. “We’re a young team, and we have to learn that we don’t get points for being close in the first half. We have to learn to play hard for 32 minutes.”

Simpson led Warriors scorers with 13 points while Aaron Fitch had 11 for Del Norte.

The 1-3 Warriors play at 3 p.m. today against the loser of the late Friday game between Brookings and Bandon.

Starting next Thursday, Del Norte will play at home for the first time this season as they host the Warrior Classic.