Lady Stags Face Loss Amid Many Fouls

The Deer Park girls basketball team knew their season would continue this week at the Yakima Valley Sundome, with the only question being when they would play their first game. The Ellensburg Bulldogs, through their all-state performer Bella Standish, dealt the Lady Stags their third defeat of the season, 58-49, at West Valley High School on Feb. 28.

Deer Park jumped to a quick 8-0 lead with six of those scored by senior Jacey Boesel. The Lady Stags' standout junior Ashlan Bryant went to the bench with 6:08 remaining in the opening quarter after her second foul. Ellensburg was quick to capitalize, outscoring Deer Park 11-3 during her absence and forging a 19-15 advantage after the opening quarter.  After a slow start, the Bulldogs closed the quarter with a 19-7 run.

The second quarter began with the Lady Stags challenged by their foul count, as senior starter Berlyn Zimmerer also was charged with two fouls in the opening eight minutes. Ellensburg pushed their lead to 11 points at 28-17 before Bryant scored her first points of the evening with 3:05 remaining. A 7-3 run to end the first half closed the Ellenburg lead to 31-24.

Six points by Boesel and four by Bryant fueled a 10-0 run in the latter stages of the third quarter as the Ellensburg lead was trimmed to one at 40-39. The margin was 43-41 in favor of the Central Washington Athletic Conference runners-up heading to the final quarter.

The Bulldogs scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter, and the Lady Stags would get no closer than four points. Ellensburg closed out their 58-49 victory with points from the free throw line.

Boesel led the Lady Stags with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Ashlan and EmmaBryant each had 11 points. The Lady Stags next face Mark Morris of Longview on Wednesday, March 4, at 10:30 a.m. at the Yakima Valley Sundome, with the winner advancing to a quarter-final matchup with top-seeded and defending state champion Lynden at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 5.