No moral victories

It was like something out of a dream.

Let’s rephrase that.

It was like something out of a nightmare for the Corvallis High girls basketball team on Saturday.

The Spartans were coming off a disappointing 46-44 loss to second-ranked Willamette on Friday in the opening game of the Sherwood Yuletide tournament.

The Spartans had not played their best, yet still had a chance to tie or win the game on the final possesion.

But it was not meant to be as Gabe Johnson’s driving layup failed to drop.

So the players were ready to regroup on Saturday against a Hermiston team that looked nothing like the one that knocked the Spartans off in the quarterfinals of the 5A state tournament last year and reached the state title game.

It looked like it might be just what the team needed to get over the loss to Willamette.

After a quick start, though, the Spartans found themselves up just 21-17 with six minutes to play in the first half.

But a typical 12-0 Spartans run pushed the lead to 33-17 and it looked like it could turn into another blowout as CHS led 40-26 lead at the half.

It was even better at 44-26 after a Katie Schrok 3-pointer with 5:51 to go in the third quarter.

But then something strange happened.

Something extremely strange, that is.

All of a sudden the Spartans could not score.

They left Hermiston players open.

And they didn’t block out very well.

It almost looked like they were in slow motion.

Little by little Hermiston clawed its way back into the game.

First the Bulldogs cut the deficit to single digits thanks to a 3-pointer by Hannah Whitsett with 3:14 left in the quarter that made it a 10-1 run.

Then they were within three after a three-point play with 53 seconds left in the quarter.

Then it was one after an improbable and unbelievable 18-1 run.

The Spartans managed just two free throws in the final 5:51 of the quarter and led 46-44.

Ironically that was the final score of the Willamette game a day earlier.

It looked like the Spartans had weathered the storm by scoring the eight of the first nine points of the fourth quarter to appear to regain control at 54-46 with 6:05 to play.

But back came Hermiston. While the Bulldogs were making shots, the Spartans were missing from the floor and the free-throw line.

All of a sudden a Hermiston basket with 17 seconds left and the lead was a single point.

This can't be happening.

But it was.

The Spartans got the ball in to Johnson. The officials finally called a foul on Hermiston after Johnson was hit several times, including once by a girl who used a two-handed shove in an attempt to put Johnson on the line (that wasn’t the player called for a foul, however).

Johnson, who was just 7 of 14 from the line up to that point, calmly sank both free throws and the Spartans were able to hold on.

The locker room was anything but happy with the win.

These days, as coach Joe Williamson said, there are no moral wins.

No, winning by three against a team you are capable of beating by 20-30 points, is anything but a win.

That was the feeling on Saturday, and it remained the feeling for Alaina Adams after church on Sunday.

For whatever reason, the Spartans played nothing like what they are capable of playing.

The film session that was scheduled for Monday, would be anything but pleasant to watch.

(Maybe the snow that canceled school would cancel practice, but I doubt any player wanted to miss).

The Spartans will need to learn from the weekend if they hope to reach their ultimate goal.

They need to get back to out-working teams. That is what got the players to where they were at the end of the season a year ago. It's what it will take to win the Mid-Willamette Conference and advance to the state tournament.

The Spartans may very well see this same Hermiston team with a trip to the Chiles Center on the line. Letting the Bulldogs believe they can hang with them was not what Williamson and the staff wanted to see.

The first chance to get back on track comes Tuesday with a home game against Marshfield.

That is, if the snow everyone seemed excited for so they didn’t have to go to school on Tuesday, allows.

Corvallis 58, Hermiston 55
CORVALLIS 16 24 6 12 — 58
HERMISTON 9 17 18 11 — 55
Corvallis: Gabe Johnson 18, Adams 11, M. Redberg 11, Schrock 9, Kay. Laney 5, Kar. Laney 2, Gerner 2, Hendrickson, W. Redberg
Hermiston: Hannah Whitset 21, Pedro 8, Barnitz 8, Moss 5, Schmidt 4, Crossley 3, Walchli 2, Barnett 2, Hays 2, Webb, Davis