Cashion, Okarche split TRC contests
CASHION SENIOR Lauren Jenkins surpassed 1,000 career points last week against Crescent and was honored the next night during the team’s home game with Okarche. [Photo provided]
Okarche finally started to find its range, but it wasn’t in time to beat Cashion.
The Lady Wildcats closed out their Three Rivers Conference regular season on Tuesday by downing visiting Okarche 37-30.
The visitors were held to just two 3-pointers through three quarters before knocking down four of them in the final frame.
But it wasn’t enough to chase down Cashion, which held a six-point lead going into the frame.
Ruby VanDenDriessche knocked down two of Okarche’s treys in the fourth, but Reese Williams and Lauren Jenkins countered with their own for Cashion.
The Lady Wildcats also went 8 for 10 from the free throw line.
Williams made two of them with about 1:00 to play to put Cashion up 33-24.
Scout Payne’s 3-pointer with just under 30 seconds left made it a six-point game and Jadyn Rother knocked down another with 20 seconds to go to pull Okarche within 34-30.
But Cashion continued to do enough at the foul line to extend its lead.
Williams scored all seven of her points in the fourth quarter.
Jenkins, who the night before surpassed 1,000 career points in the win over Crescent, notched six of her 11 points in the final frame.
Jenkins was honored prior to the game for her achievement.
Megan Shafer also scored 11.
Cashion was up a point after a quarter and then led 17-12 at halftime. Madison Westerhoff made two big treys for the Lady Wildcats in that second stanza.
Okarche was led by Rother’s 13 points.
VanDenDriessche and Payne scored six each.
Okarche wrapped up its regular season with a 16-9 record. The Lady Warriors were 2-4 in conference games.
Cashion winds up 5-1 in the conference and still has a shot at winning the regular season title if Fairview loses one of its final two games.
The Lady Wildcats were 16-5 overall with two regular season games remaining.
Visiting Warriors pull away from Wildcats
Cashion was able to hang for a while, but eventually Okarche’s pressure was too much.
The Warriors forced 28 turnovers Tuesday to spoil Cashion’s “Senior Night” in an 82-45 victory.
The game was tied midway through the first quarter, but Okarche closed strong for a 27-18 lead.
The Warriors then outscored Cashion 48-16 over the next two frames.
As is usually the case, Okarche did it with its fullcourt pressure. The turnovers led to 38 points for Okarche, which only had 14 miscues on its end.
Jett Mueggenborg led the way for the Warriors with 21 points, six rebounds and four steals.
The Warriors got 16 apiece from Wyatt Pinkerton and Easton Roby.
Pinkerton was 5 of 9 from 3-point range.
Okarche hit 12 treys as a team while Cashion shot 9 of 32 (28 percent) from long range.
Anthony Wilburn was the lone Wildcat in double figures with 11 points.
Cashion was 9-12 after the loss, including 3-3 in Three Rivers Conference games.
The Warriors concluded their regular season with a 20-4 record. They were 5-1 in conference games.