Nighthawk girls claw through districts

OAKESDALE — A short-handed Oakesdale Nighthawk girls basketball team dominated two games during a chilly week in Whitman County.

After a 46-35 victory over the Wellpinit Redskins, and a 50-30 victory over the DeSales Irish, the Nighthawk girls are a perfect 6-0 in district play, good for a tie for first in districts with Sunnyside Christian, who are 7-0. Sunnyside Christian and Oakesdale do not meet in the regular season this year.

The Nighthawks are 9-1 overall for the season, their lone loss came in early December to Curlew, 42-37. Curlew are 14-1 for the season.

The game against the Redskins was played on Wednesday, Jan. 10, with the game taking place in Oakesdale.

Oakesdale would control the game through their defensive effort, holding the Redskins to just 35 points while the Nighthawks played small.

“We played with six players against Wellpinit. We held Wellpinit to about 20 points under their scoring average,” said Nighthawk head coach Heidi Perry.

Oakesdale would win the game against Wellpinit 46-35.

Of the six Nighthawk players, eighth grader Megan Crider would score six points in the game.

Oakesdale was led by 12 points from both Grace Perry and Samantha Holling. Holling had a double-double with 11 rebounds to go along with her 12 points, and Perry had five rebounds.

Lucy Hockett filled the stat sheet with nine points, six rebounds and five assists. Brieyn Henley had seven points with four rebounds, and Bradyn Henley had nine rebounds and two blocks as she was active on the defensive end for Oakesdale.

The last game of the week for the Nighthawks was played on Saturday, Jan. 13, against the DeSales Irish. The game was played in DeSales, with the Nighthawks earning the 50-30 victory.

Much like the game against the Redskins, Oakesdale had a stellar defensive game, holding the Irish to just 30 points.

With the loss, the Irish fell to 1-3 in district play.

Grace Perry led the way with 13 points in the game for Oakesdale. She also had five rebounds and five assists.

Holling finished with her second consecutive double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Bradyn Henley had eight points and three assists.

The next game for the Nighthawk girls team will be played on Thursday, Jan. 18, against the Wilbur-Creston-Keller Wildats, home at 6 p.m.