EHS girls basketball team improves to 2-0

Bailey Andersen nets record 45 vs. MWP

By Skip Smith Contributing writer

After having their season opener against the Morton-White Pass Wolves postponed and rescheduled because of the recent snowstorm, the Eatonville Lady Cruiser basketball team finally got their season underway last week when they hosted Foss High School in a non-league matchup, with the Cruisers trouncing the Falcons, 75-31, to give first-year head coach Deanna Andersen her first win.

The Cruisers followed up with a 7861 win over the Morton-White Pass Timberwolves on Saturday in a game where Cruiser sophomore point guard Bailey Andersen broke Hailey Rath’s scoring record by dropping 45 points.

Deanna Andersen and Bailey, her daughter, didn’t have the scoring record in mind going into the game.

“Neither Bailey nor I had any idea about the record,” Deanna Andersen said. “She knew the record was set by Hailey Rath, of course, because we saw her set it, but I didn't know until after the game that she had beaten it.”

Bailey Andersen was equally unaware.

“I didn’t realize until I looked at the scoreboard that I had made it,” she said. “It’s amazing because Hailey Rath left big shoes to fill.

“I could have never broken this record without having a strong team that is willing to fight for everything,” she added.

The Cruisers trailed MWP by 12 after the opening quarter, slowly clawing their way back into the game, and only trailed by five at the half. Andersen led all scorers in the half with 16 points.

Eatonville opened the third quarter by taking the lead on an 11-3 run. Andersen scored 14 of the team's 19 points in the quarter and helped extend the Cruiser lead to four, at 52-48.

In the final frame, the Lady Cruisers put the game away by out-scoring the T-Wolves 26-13, with Andersen scoring 15 of those points on her way to her record-breaking 45 to give Eatonville a 78-61 victory.

In the Cruisers’ season opener, Eatonville bullied their way to a 44-point victory, 75-31.