Okarche girls still in hunt
EMMA STOVER scored 15 points Monday to lead Okarche, but the Lady Warriors were still knocked off by Vanoss in their Class A area title game. Stover and the Lady Warriors got another crack at qualifying for state Tuesday against Ripley after this edition
Okarche is in familiar territory.
The Lady Warriors now just need one part of history to repeat itself, but not another.
Vanoss got 24 points from Madi Faust and was clutch from the free throw line down the stretch in defeating Okarche 53-47 in a Class A area championship at Kellyville.
The win sends the fifth-ranked Lady Wolves to state.
Okarche, meanwhile, played for the area consolation title and its own reservation in the state tournament on Tuesday night (after press time) against Ripley.
The Lady Warriors were in much the same scenario a year ago.
They reached the area title game before losing to Seiling. The next night saw them toppled by Thomas, leaving them one win shy of state.
That’s the history Okarche hopes to avoid repeating.
However, the Lady Warriors do have history with No. 17 Ripley this season.
The two met in the opening round of the Garber Invitational back in December. Okarche won 72-38.
Vanoss’ size was a concern entering the game and for good reason.
“Their post game really hurt us,” Okarche coach Haley Mitchel said. “We let all three of their post players get us deep in the paint and score.”
None as frequently as Faust, a 5-foot-11 junior.
She scored six in the first quarter as Vanoss jumped to a 16-11 lead.
Okarche kept her quiet in the second, but Riley Reed came through with eight points.
The Lady Warriors got balanced scoring and closed their deficit to 26-25 at halftime.
Okarche didn’t manage a field goal in the third, but was 7 of 8 from the foul line and only saw Vanoss lead by three points.
But Faust was too much in the fourth.
She scored 10 of Vanoss’ 18. She was 4 for 4 from the foul line while the team went 8 of 9.
Okarche kept it close as Jalie Rother scored seven in the fourth and Emma Stover five, but the Lady Warriors never could completely close the gap.
Stover scored 15 to lead the way for Okarche.
Jadyn Rother scored 12, eight of which came in the first half.
Jalie Rother finished with 11.
Reed had 14 for the Lady Wolves.
Okarche took a 24-3 record into Tuesday’s game. Ripley was 24-5.