Lady Maniacs head for State

by Mike Butler

The Orofino High School Lady Maniacs won the right to go to the State playoffs Saturday night when they beat the Lady Loggers from Potlatch High School to place second in the Central Idaho League District Tournament.

The game got off to a very slow start because nerves over the importance of this game were riding high. The Lady Maniacs and the Lady Loggers continued to play very cautiously, so from the viewer's standpoint they were playing pretty evenly throughout the first half. Half time score was Orofino 24 Potlatch 21.

In the second half of the game, the Lady Maniacs took control of the tempo and the game. Their offensive style was that every member of the team worked the front of the court until they could drive in the basket or have an open player. Potlatch's coach was dissatisfied because she felt her girls were not aggressive enough going for the ball. Potlatch was also not able to hit their shots because they were not used to the pace that Orofino was playing. Final for the night on this one was Orofino 53 Potlatch 35.

Orofino plays Sandpoint in the first game of the 2A playoffs in Middleton on Thursday. Game time will be 1:15 p.m. MST, 12:15 p.m. our time.

After the game, Coach Kurt Savage said this is the first time in years that the girl’s team is headed for state playoffs in basketball. That they can also make history this year, if they can win and go to state playoffs in softball this spring, it will be the first time in the history of Orofino High School that the girl's team has competed at the state level in three different sports. The state tournaments for softball and baseball are going to be held in Orofino this year.

Photos: 1. Capri Savage (left) rebounds the ball with Ellen Rouse standing by to assist. 2. Kristina Homolova (center) and Stephanie McPherson (right) provide Savage a block so she can take the ball to the other side of the court. 3. Homolova tries for a basket. 4. McPherson brings the ball down court. 5. Rouse shoots a free throw. 6. Lady Maniacs hold the second place trophy. They are from left: back, Kristina Homolova, Capri Savage, Tandee Perrin, Alyssa Schrader, Ellen Rouse, Kalli Patton, Shanna Herman; front, Tawnya Brink, Jessica Roby, Stephanie McPherson and Stephanie Montambo.