By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

MILL CITY, Ore.–   Santiam tried something new Wednesday afternoon against Regis in their trap zone defense.  And for much of the non-league contest at Santiam High School, it kept the Rams in check in Regis’ 36-35 win as the Wolverines jumped out to a 22-11 lead entering the waning moments of the first half.

“It was pretty amazing honestly.  We’ve spent a lot of hours in practice working on it and to go out in a game and have it work that feels pretty great,” Santiam’s Maddie Forste said.

“It definitely took us a while to adjust because we’re playing into it.  We need to come out a lot stronger in these games,” adds the Rams Adelle Otter. “We knew they were going to be tough, but we fought to the end.”

Slow starts have been the Achilles Heel of Regis to start the season as they would slowly come to life as they did going into the second half.  Eventually they took a 35-33 lead off a Kaylee Silbernagel basket with a minute left in the game.

Overcoming their slow start to contend for the lead as Forste answered moments later to tie it at 35.  Bringing more energy than they had at the beginning.

“Just a lot more energy.  We definitely don’t, that definitely kills us because then we’re not strong,” Otter starts.  “It was definitely nerve-racking because we didn’t know if we could pull it off.  But Amy ( won the game for us.”

Santiam had found themselves in a lull, but unlike the previous times, they hung tough as they competed with them looking to snap the losing streak that they had found themselves in.

“It was really great.    Our past four games have not been that good, so to be able to come out there and see the team I know we can be, it was really great,” Forste said.

Heartbreak occurred however for the Wolverines as they had a chance for the win with 15 seconds remaining in the game, but with the press that Regis put on since the third quarter, Santiam threw the ball out of bounds trying to work around it.  Giving the Rams an opportunity as they drew a foul with 2.6 seconds remaining on a three-point shot.

It sent Martinez to the line.  She missed the first, made the second and missed the third to hand Regis a 36-35 lead.  Their defense held true to keep the Wolverines from possibly winning the game at the buzzer.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald