Henley basketball swept a split-site matchup with Yreka (CA) Tuesday. Here’s how both games unfolded.
Girls: Henley 77, Yreka (CA) 47
Henley (7-0) wasn’t quite as dominant in its return trip to Yreka (CA) (5-4) as it was in an 84-33 win over the Miners in the Yreka Invitational championship game Dec. 2, but the Hornets still proved far too much for their hosts to handle.
Henley trailed 9-8 before going on an 11-1 run over the last 3:18 of the first quarter, starting with a catch-and-shoot three from Prestyn Schade and ending with a buzzer-beating three from Annie Campos. The second quarter finished similarly, with the Hornets going on a 10-1 run over the last 3:26 after the Miners pulled within 25-20.
The Hornets took control of the game in the third quarter, which ended with them up 52-34, and went off for 25 points in the fourth.
“I thought we did a good job,” Henley head coach Randy Denson said. “We got in foul trouble early…very proud of [Bayli] Ladner [3 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists] and Mya Mauch [2 points, 6 steals, 3 rebounds] and some of our other bench [players] to step in.”
Anna Harper and Annie Campos both had double-doubles, with Harper putting up 18 points and 10 rebounds and Campos putting up 13 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Senia Campos matched her sister’s point total with 13 and grabbed 2 rebounds, and Prestyn Schade continued an impressive start to her freshman season with 9 points, 7 steals and 6 rebounds. Other contributors for Henley were Lily Fussell with 9 points, 4 steals and 3 rebounds; Kennedi Modin with 9 points and 8 rebounds; and Jewell Northcutt with 1 point and 10 rebounds.
For Yreka (CA), Emmie Freitas had 15 points, Alexes Collier and Ali Avery each had 7, Maycie Collier had 5, Lainey Shaw had 4, Carli Callahan had 3, Maddy Rennock and Maci Hogan each had 2, and Peyton Wood and Autumn Goodwin each had 1.
The Henley girls have a week off before hosting 5A Caldera at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19.
Boys: Henley 58, Yreka (CA) 35
Unlike the girls, the Henley (6-1) boys hadn’t played Yreka (CA) (3-4) before Tuesday’s home opener, but it didn’t take long for the Hornets to figure out that there was little the Miners could do to stop Markus McCreadie in the paint; he ended up with half of his team’s points, scoring 8 in the first quarter, 7 in the second, 10 in the third and 4 in the fourth for a total of 29.
“He’s working hard for position and our guards are doing a really good job of being unselfish and looking to make that pass to him,” Henley head coach Luke Hammond said. “We talk about passing up a good shot for a great shot. Not sure there’s a better shot than from three feet from the bucket with a guy who’s almost 6’8.”
Yreka (CA) didn’t score until the 3:45 mark in the first quarter, by which time Henley had already built an 8-0 lead. The Miners briefly closed the gap to 8-5 with 2:57 to go, but the Hornets answered right away and the score was never that close again.
Henley led 16-7 at the end of the first quarter and 29-14 at halftime. The Hornets maintained at least a 10-point lead throughout the third quarter, which ended with them up 41-23.
Hammond emptied the bench in the closing minutes of the fourth, and the Henley reserves took full advantage of the playing time. With about five seconds left, freshman Micah Ibarra grabbed a defensive rebound, took off down the court, and made a contested layup at the buzzer for his first varsity points.
“A lot better feeling after this one than our last win,” Hammond said. “We just felt like we did a lot of stuff right…positive step for the guys for sure.”
In addition to his 29 points, McCreadie had 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. Other contributors for Henley were Bryson Montag with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists; Aiden Hayes with 7 points, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 charge taken; Luke Bennett with 4 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals; Chris Janney with 3 points, 2 assists and 2 rebounds; Owen Harper with 2 points and 7 rebounds; and Lane Frank and Peyton Lichner with 2 points and 3 rebounds each.
For Yreka (CA), Trevan Crane had 13 points, Skyler McLane had 9, Gio McEwen had 7, Isaac Tannaci had 5 and Zane Vann had 1.
The Henley boys have eight days off before traveling to 5A Caldera at 2 p.m. Dec. 20.