Lucien Paz tried to dribble past an Okanogan player at a recent game.
The Cascade Kodiaks canceled last Saturday’s (Jan. 8) wrestling tournament at the Leavenworth campus because of adverse weather and driving conditions. More than 30 inches of new snow were recorded in the Bavarian-themed community, where a state of emergency was declared, in Thursday’s region-wide weather event.
Liberty Bell High School was scheduled to appear at that tournament but, as a result of the tournament cancelation, took the weekend off from competition. The Mountain Lion grapplers are scheduled to wrestle Saturday (Jan. 15) in the Apple Pie Tournament at Tonasket High School, first match slated for 10 a.m.
Girls fall to No. 1 Okanogan
Taking on the No. 1-ranked 2B team in the state can be a challenge, and last Tuesday’s match-up at Okanogan for the Liberty Bell girls was all of that as the Bulldogs cranked up the defense and handed the Mountain Lions a tough 84-14 loss.
Okanogan jumped out to a 33-0 lead before Jadyn Mitchell broke the ice, scoring one of two free throw attempts midway through the second quarter. Mitchell led the Mountain Lions with 6 points and 6 rebounds, Joslyn Rispone and Ruby McCarthy scored 3 each and Shae Taylor scored 2 points.
The Mountain Lion girls were scheduled to travel to Tonasket on Friday (Jan. 7) and Davenport on Saturday (Jan. 8). The Tonasket game was canceled by the weather and travel conditions; a lack of available players was identified as the reason for the girls not making the trip to Davenport. Rescheduling of the league tilt at Tonasket has not yet been announced. The non-league rematch with Davenport is not likely to reappear on the schedule this season.
In an email, Liberty Bell Activities Director Michael Wilbur said, “Out of an abundance of caution, we have shut things down for the girls’ basketball team following multiple positive tests. We’ll be reassessing as we move forward and have not yet definitively ruled out playing on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 14 and 15).”
Wilbur reported team spirits are up, though, and they will be ready once cleared again for competition. “The girls team, coaches and players alike, have shown a lot of fortitude in dealing with this disappointment and I have every confidence that they will bounce back strong to complete their season,” Wilbur said.
Mitchell honored
Jadyn Mitchell was honored by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) as their 2B Girls Athlete of the Week for the last week of December, coming off her 1,000th career point and averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game in the early part of the 2021-22 basketball season. Mitchell was also recognized by the WIAA for her academic accomplishments, as a member of the National Honor Society, and president of the Liberty Bell Key Club.
Boys drop two on road
The Mountain Lions went on a formidable two game road trip last week that opened at No. 3-ranked, league rival Okanogan on Tuesday (Jan. 4) and then across the channeled scablands to No. 4-ranked Davenport for Saturday’s non-league return game with the Gorillas. Friday’s scheduled tilt at Tonasket was postponed because of hazardous travel conditions.
• At Okanogan 70, Liberty Bell 44: Sometimes things just don’t line up and Tuesday’s match with Okanogan seemed like one of those games. It was evident that the visiting Mountain Lions were outsized at all five positions in practically every possible rotation. Missing from the lineup was Mountain Lion sophomore post Isaiah Stoothoff, and matching up against the Bulldogs’ inside size and muscle became an immediate issue.
The hosts jumped to a 25-10 first-quarter lead. Chase Wilson set the pace for the Bulldogs, moving out from the post to hit two consecutive three-pointers in the first quarter on his way to a 20-point effort. Carson Boesel hit for 16 and Jaden Radke added 12 points to a fairly balanced scoring attack. Kyler Mitchell led all Mountain Lion scorers with 12 points and 5 rebounds, and Remi Paz hit for 10 points, nailing two of his four three point tries.
• At Davenport 68, Liberty Bell 32: The Gorillas rode the coattails of their scoring leader Tennessee Rainwater’s 26 points. Liberty Bell freshman Morgan Spellman led the Mountain Lions with 8 points. Jackson Schmekel added 7 points to the effort for Liberty Bell.
Mountain Lion basketball travels to Oroville for a double-header (girls at 6 p.m. and boys at 7:30 p.m.) on Friday (Jan. 14). On Saturday (Jan. 15), they see their first home action in a month when they welcome the Manson Trojans into the Lions’ Den for a girls’/boys’ triple-header. JV action tips off at 4:30 p.m. in both the Eagle Gym and Lions’ Den, followed by girls’ varsity at 6 p.m. and boys at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 18) sees the Mountain Lions on the road to Brewster.
