Warriors start another title quest; Lomega girls win late

While several smallschool basketball teams had three and four games under their belts by last week, Okarche was a little late to the part in starting the defense of its Class A state championship.

The Warriors made up for lost time with a 99-41 victory at rival Lomega as they began their quest for a third straight title.

After winning the opening tip, Okarche made seven passes before Jett Mueggenborg buried a 3-pointer about 20 seconds into the game.

Both the number of passes and time of possession were eternally long for Okarche’s quick-strike, high pressure offense that’s complemented by the fury of its full-court pressure.

By game’s end, Okarche had attempted 41 3-pointers and forced 37 turnovers.

Both spelled doom for the Raiders.

The Warriors nailed 17 3-point attempts - six each by Mueggenborg and Ethan Kirby - while the Lomega turnovers resulted in 54 Warrior points.

Those factors compounded as the game wore on as Okarche led by a modest margin of 22-9 after a quarter and 58-19 at the half, then continued to grow it in the second half.

Mueggenborg’s early 3-pointer was the first of four in the quarter by the senior.

He added two more in the second and scored 24 of his game-high 27 in the first two quarters.

Kirby had one trey in the first, then added four in the second.

He contributed 19 of his 26 points in the first two quarters.

All told, the Warriors outscored Lomega 51-9 from 3-point range.

Jaxson Snowden had a big third quarter for the Raiders as he scored 12 of his team-high 20 points. He also led the team with six rebounds.

Lance Yost added six for Lomega, which dropped to 1-2 on the season.

Court Sumrall chipped in 13 for Lomega, including going 3 of 6 from 3-point range.

The Warriors got nine points and four rebounds from Easton Roby.

Mueggenborg also led the team with six rebounds ands seven assists.

Lady Raiders surge late to outlast Okarche

Okarche and Lomega had potential to be an entertaining showdown.

The teams didn’t disappoint.

ReaganSnowden’sthreepoint play with 14 seconds left didn’t prove to be the end, but it did prove to be the difference in the Lady Raiders’ 64-61 victory last Friday at home.

Playing its first game of the season, Okarche led by as many as 11 in the second half and eight in the fourth quarter, but Lomega stormed back to stay unbeaten on the season.

Snowden’s play came 11 seconds after Okarche’s Callie Cramer made the second of two free throws to tie the game at 60.

Lomega’s Paige Wheeler dribbled it up the court and found Snowden in the post.

The sophomore split two defenders and sank the bucket while being fouled.

After she made the free throw, a Lomega foul sent Okarche’s Katie Parham to the foul line with 10 seconds remaining.

Parham also made 1 of 2 to bring her team within 63-61.

An Okarche foul put Lomega senior Hadley Ott on the free throw line and she made the first of two, pushing the lead again back to three points.

After Ott missed the second, Okarche’s last-second 3-pointer missed its mark.

That capped a quarter that the teams swap leads three times in the waning moments.

Ott’s 3-pointer put the Lady Raiders up 58-56 after trailing much of the second half.

Okarche’s Reese Robinson answered with her second trey of the quarter to regain the lead for the visitors moments later.

Then it was Wheeler’s turn as the senior made two free throws to put the Lady Raiders back on top, 60-59.

After Cramer was fouled, her first free throw attempt rolled around the rim before falling off. The second shot did much the same before falling through to tie the game.

Ott made two 3-pointers and Jenny Penaran another as Lomega was able to get out to a 16-13 lead on the Lady Warriors in the first quarter.

Okarche started to take command in the second, outscoring Lomega 19-13.

Katie Parham knocked down a couple of treys and Logan White scored seven points in the quarter.

The Okarche lead got to double digits in the third before Lomega got it to four by the end of the frame.

The home team then outscored Okarche 25-18 in the fourth.

Snowden, Ott and Bree Yost all scored seven points in the final frame.

Snowden scored 11 of her team-high 17 points in the second half.

Ott finished her night with 13 point while Yost and Wheeler notched 11 apiece.

Parham paced the Lady Warriors with 19 points. White scored 17 and Cramer 14.