Lady Hawks Keep Flying High in Area Win over Sealy, 37-30
Canyon Lake Lady Hawks defense was like an iron gate in 2nd round win over the Sealy Tigers, 37-30.
The ReSporter went to an Area game against Sealy and a Hondo game commenced. That was the feeling as this game would be a methodical 4 quarters of play. It was not new for The Lake as they have had plenty of practice playing a contest like what this Tigers team brought to the hard-wood.
Sealy would fight back in that 2nd half as the Tigers closed an 8 point Hawk gap to a 5 point advantage for CL going into that last quarter. A 3 pointer from Lainee Moses to start the last 8 minutes of play proved to be a huge help that supplied that cushion needed for their 31st win this year.
“We had to make sure that we did not have turnovers as that would put ourselves in bad situations,” Head Coach Zach Burleson said. “We showed maturity there at the end as they came out in a 1-3-1 defense and that allowed us to bring our bigs into the game at the same time.”
That Sealy move was starting the 4th quarter that allowed an open Lainee Moses and a wide open 3 point attempt that found nothing but the bottom of the net and that cushion being reestablished for the eventual win.
Reagan Heun finished with 16 points to top all scorers as this young lady continues to improve in all facets of her game, with her 5th contest in a row of reaching double digits in the scorers book and a 17 point average during that time frame.
What was needed on this night was a strong game from Skylar Hurst and Jessie Melendez with Caroline Kullberg not suiting up for this game. CL was without Marley Carrizales too and with a thin bench it would mean a battle being fought with fewer reinforcements as fouls might play into this game.
The stat line for Hurst and Melendez would not show how well these two players actually performed on the court. Both players denied the Big’s for Sealy in getting passes in the paint. That, in itself, would be the main ingredient for this historic win.
“I just had to step it up and play my hardest,” Melendez said in response of going to battle without Kullberg in the line-up. “I was nervous to start the game without Caroline (Kullberg) but it got easier as the game continued.”
Melendez scored two points but that tally was on a put-back after an offensive rebound that helped during a crucial part of this game.
“I cannot recall if we had more than 3 offensive put-backs all year last season,” Coach Burleson recalled. “Many times our most important player does not come in her stats.”
Coach Burleson was speaking of both Hurst and Melendez in the statement and that was true in keeping players from getting easy looks will not make it into stat books.
Alexa Ramos was pivotable player once again with a strong game and at least, one charge per game, always being a given. It is those little things that became big when Ramos made two free throws near the end of the game when Sealy was still at just two possessions for a tie or lead.
The charity stripe has not many, hand-outs, for Ramos in her career at the Hawk Nest and this time at the free throw line was on a one and one situation. This Senior calmly took the ball and sank both shots like it was nothing and a Hawk lead that would douse any hopes for a Tiger come back.
“I have been in that position before,” Ramos said matter of factly. “It was the Cuero game that I made two free throws for a win….I just block everything out and concentrate on the rim and shoot.”
Little things…..have led to a story book season and now with 31 wins for a school that had never reached the 20 win plateau.
CL will be just the 3rd Team Sport to make it past the 2nd round in the playoffs as they come to the stage next week against the 7th ranked SA Veterans Memorial team.
Defense was present from the get-go with a paltry 3 points scored by Sealy to start the game. That allowed a separation that would be present for the remainder of this contest.
The Lady Hawks have held their last 10 opponents under the 40 point barrier in proving that defense is a strong suit as this season goes into the stratosphere.
Go Hawks!!
1 2 3 4 Final Sealy 3 7 10 10 30 CL Hawks 12 6 7 12 37 2pt 3pt tot rebounds fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta pts or-dr tot a s b to Skylar Hurst 2-3 0-0 0-0 4 0-1 1 0 1 0 0 Lainee Moses 0-1 1-2 0-0 3 0-0 0 1 0 0 1 Chelsea Tschoepe 0-3 0-1 2-2 2 1-2 3 2 2 0 3 Char Hutson 0-0 1-1 0-0 3 0-3 3 1 1 0 1 Alexa Ramos 2-7 0-2 2-3 6 0-2 2 2 0 0 2 Reagan Heun 3-3 1-6 7-8 16 2-5 7 1 2 0 3 Jessie Melendez 1-1 0-0 1-2 3 1-4 5 0 0 0 1 Totals 8-18 3-12 12-15 37 4-17 21 7 6 0 11 Percentage 44% 25% 80%