The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Vosburg continues offensive onslaught
The Lady Titans endured nearly 20 hours on the road in two days to pull off two road wins Friday and Saturday, December 19-20
They opened their weekend of basketball with a four and half-hour ride to face Primero on Friday and while long road trips tend to drain teams of their energy, the Lady Titans appeared anything but road weary as they handed the Primero Lady Bulldogs a thumping for their second league win of the season.
Crested Butte opened the game with a full court press for the first quarter building a 16-2 lead. Coach MaryMike Haley called off the press for the remainder of the game but the Lady Titans half-court game proved lethal as well, as they scored another 16 points in the second quarter to take a 32-9 lead by the close of the first half.
Haley looked to her bench to get players time in the second half and Primero traded baskets with Crested Butte through the third quarter.
But, the Lady Titans defense clamped down in the fourth quarter holding the Lady Bulldogs scoreless in the final quarter to roll to the 51-18 win.
Senior Emma Vosburg led the game in scoring, knocking down 22 points.
“She just continues to run the floor really well,” says Haley.
Junior Sydney Loyed dropped in nine points and pulled down eight rebounds; senior Jessie Frame scored seven points; and senior Allie McFarland added six points and dominated on defense.
“Allie’s been playing some killer defense,” says Haley.
Haley was impressed with her team’s intensity during a relatively easy win and touts the input on offense by the entire team.
“They did a great job of keeping up the tempo,” says Haley. “It was pretty well rounded and it’s good to have everybody producing.”
The Lady Titans then hopped back in the team vehicles for another three and a half-hour ride to the Front Range Friday night to be up and ready in time for a non-league game against the JV team of 4A school Silver Creek on Saturday.
That is, the plan was to play only the JV, but when Silver Creek got a look at the Lady Titans after one quarter, the Silver Creek coach started shuttling in some varsity talent to keep the game close.
“I think he saw we were there to play,” says Haley.
The Lady Titans built a 12-8 lead in the first quarter before Silver Creek switched gears with substitutions and a variety of defenses including a full court press.
Silver Creek chipped away at the Lady Titans five-point lead in the third quarter, cutting it down to three points by the start of the fourth quarter.
“They mixed it up and got us out of our comfort zone,” says Haley. “Their press frazzled us.”
The game teetered on the edge of destruction for the Lady Titans but they slowed the pace down to execute their game plan, refusing to fall apart in the final eight minutes.
The teams traded baskets as Silver Creek looking to rally from behind for the win but senior Jessie Frame hit two huge free throws down the stretch to ice the 35-33 Lady Titans win.
Again Vosburg led all scorers with 18 points, Loyed scored six points and Frame had five points and seven rebounds.
The Lady Titans saw continued support from their freshmen as well with Shannon Holleran and Sydney Jernigan putting in some key minutes and tough defense, including six rebounds from Jernigan.
“The fact that they stuck it out and stayed with the game plan was huge,” says Haley. “They just never gave up and that was key. I think we played a really solid team and learned some things about ourselves.”
The Lady Titans are 2-0 in league play, 5-1 overall, as they head into their Christmas break.
“I think we’re right where we need to be,” says Haley. “We’re competitive and we’re starting to get in shape. There’s a little bit of team gel missing but it’s starting to come together.”
The Lady Titans return to Mt. Olympus to open the 2009 season at home when they host Center on Wednesday, January 7 at 5:30 p.m.
