Okarche escapes Preston in OT in Mitchel’s debut as head coach

When Okarche was in tight games before, Haley Mitchel would look over to her mother for the final say.

That final say now belongs to Mitchel.

She was thrown into the fire Friday night in her debut as head coach of the Okarche Lady Warriors.

And, like so many times before, they came out on top.

Okarche opened its season with a 60-52 overtime win at Preston in game the Lady Warriors never led until the extra frame.

“I hope they’re not all that exciting and thrilling,” said Mitchell, who was an assistant under her mother, hall of famer Cherie Myers, at Okarche from 2010-17 when the program had an unprecedented run of success.

After three years away from the game, Mitchel returned but without her mother next to her.

She was a head coach for the first time.

“It was very different not having my mom by my side,” she said. “She always made me feel like a head coach, but it was strange not having her there to bounce ideas off of.”

Mitchel turned to Kaylene Ullom and Janet Schroeder. Ullom was the assistant under Kelli Jennings the last three seasons and Schroeder spent many years on the bench with Myers and Mitchel.

“They were there to provide some valuable help,” Mitchel said.

And so did Karsyn Vallerand, a junior who missed allbut two games last season with a knee injury.

She tried to make up for lost time with 30 points, which included 23 in the second half and overtime.

She helped Okarche claw back from an early 12-5 deficit. It was six points going into the second half and five after three quarters.

But Okarche’s defense clamped down after that.

Preston only scored eight points in the fourth and none in overtime.

Vallerand scored 11 of Okarche’s 15 fourth-quarter points and three more in overtime. She was 7 of 7 from the foul line during that stretch.

Adrianne Wilson led Preston with 17 points, but was scoreless over the final 12 minutes.

Okarche got 13 points from Jalie Rother to help close out the first, nail-biting win.

All the while, Myers sat in the crowd, merely a spectator.

“It was exciting and nerve-wracking being the one in charge,” Mitchel admitted. “It was also great hearing mom’s voice in the crowd as well.”

Warriors hold on for win

The Okarche boys made it a sweep as they held off Preston for a 64-60 win.

The Warriors built an eight-pointleadbyhalftime, maintained it through the third quarter and kept the Tigers at bay just enough down the stretch.

Joseph Schaefer and Evan Endres combined for 12 of Okarche’s 15 points in the final quarter to preserve the win.

Endres scored 15 total and Schaefer 14, 12 of which came in the second half.

The Warriors were bolstered earlier by Logan Kroener.

He led all scorers with 22 points.

He exploded for 13 points in the second quarter as Okarche outscored Preston 22-18.

The host team was led by Jervais Gore’s 19 points.