Crescent stuns Lady Warriors in TRC road game

Crescent denied Okarche’s bid for an unbeaten record in Three Rivers Conference games.

The Lady Tigers went on the road Tuesday and handed Okarche a 38-35 defeat.

The loss dropped Okarche to 5-1 in conference games with one more still to play (at Cashion on Feb. 11). Okarche had already won the conference tournament this year.

It also snapped an 18-game win streak for the Lady Warriors.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, but hopefully we’re starting to finally get it rolling,” said Crescent coach Karl Butt.

The win improved Crescent to 11-7 overall and 4-2 in the conference. The Lady Tigers are still in play for at least a share of the conference’s regular season title.

They’ve now won four of their last five and six of their last eight.

The game was the second straight for Okarche and Crescent to match up.

They played last Saturday in the finals of the Coyle Invitational, one in which Okarche got out to a big lead and eventually won 41-30.

This time, Crescent kept pace in the first quarter, then outscored Okarche 12-8 in the second for a two-point halftime lead.

Alaysia Wilson was the catalyst for the Lady Tigers in the first half as she scored 11 points. Raychel Johnson added five in the second quarter.

Okarche pulled it even entering the fourth quarter, but the Lady Warriors couldn’t manage a field goal over the final eight minutes.

That included two misses down low in the last minute, one that would have given Okarche a lead and another that would have pulled the Lady Warriors within one.

Crescent pulled it out despite going 0 for 4 from the free throw line in the fourth.

The Lady Tigers got a 3-pointer from Katie Cronister, a bucket from Johnson and two from Elizabeth Battelo.

A late floater from Battelo gave Crescent its three-point cushion.

Battelo scored 12 for Crescent, nine in the second half.

Wilson finished with 11 and Johnson nine.

Okarche, 20-2 overall, was led by Rachel McDowell’s 13 points. Kelsee Brown scored seven.

Okarche had just two field goals the entire second half, but did make all 11 free throw attempts during that stretch.

Warriors dominate Crescent from opening tip

A dominant first half led to one of Okarche’s more complete wins this season.

The Warriors shot 53 percent in the first 16 minutes en route to a 70-32 win at home against Crescent in a Three Rivers Conference contest.

Okarche moved to 13-9 overall and 3-3 in the conference. Crescent dropped to 5-14 and 0-6.

The Tigers apparently had trouble adjusting in their first appearance in Okarche’s new gym. They made just 6 of 29 shots (20.7 percent) in the first half, including missing all eight from beyond the 3-point line.

Okarche, meanwhile, was 16 of 30 from the floor.

That allowed the Warriors to build a 26-9 lead after a quarter, one that swelled to 44-14 by halftime.

Crescent had no answer for Kaleb Harris and Logan Kroener.

Harris scored 24 points and Kroener 23. Both players also had five assists.

Okarche got another six points and seven assists from Evan Endres. Tyler Schwarz also scored six.

Crescent was led by Gabe South’s 11 points.