Rubber Chicken: Elliot Hencz, Kacey Spink lead Ferris girls to win; Trayce Atkins helps Saxons boys comeback against LC
The pandemic has eliminated or drastically changed a lot of things we take for granted over the past two years – including the spirit games between traditional Greater Spokane League rivals at the Spokane Arena.
Three weeks ago, when rivalry week was pushed back due to a surge in the infection rates around the area due to the Omicron variant, most folks were disappointed but resigned.
Everyone was happy on Monday when it was back to business, as Ferris and Lewis and Clark met to decide Chuck the Rubber Chicken’s residence for the next 12 months.
“I didn’t know if we were gonna have this,” Ferris guard Elliot Hencz said. “So being able to have this my senior year, I mean, I’m super grateful and it was such a fun time.”
And though things were far from normal, with students cheers muffled (somewhat) by masks and fans expected to social distance as much as possible, the week’s games got off to a rousing start.
Girls
Ferris 67, Lewis and Clark 47: Hencz scored 24 points with six 3-pointers, Kacey Spink added 16 mostly in the paint and the Saxons (15-4, 6-2) topped the Tigers (10-8, 5-3) in the early game.
Brooklyn Jenson led LC with 18 points.
With the win, Ferris earned the GSL’s No. 2 seed to the District 8 3A tournament, which starts Saturday. The Tigers are locked in as the GSL’s No. 2 seed to the 4A tourney which starts Thursday with the play-in game.
“So much fun,” Ferris senior Kacey Spink said of the crowd and atmosphere. “Sad it’s the last one.”
Ferris coach Scott Ward said his team “got all it wanted and more.”
“I knew (LC) would be prepared and I knew we’d have to play well,” he said. “Offensively, (LC) did some great things. We’re a pretty good defensive team and they scored 47 points or whatever they scored and that’s a lot of points against us.”
“We had a lot of fun at practice trying to duplicate the noise and the environment,” LC coach Gabe Medrano said. “And you know, we had one girl that’s played in it. So it was a brand new for everyone else and it was nice to have it.”
The Saxons popped three 3-pointers in the first quarter and led 15-11 after one.
LC got the deficit to one early in the second, but Kayla Jones and Hencz hit back-to-back 3 to stretch it back to nine. Cassidy Lage connected from distance, then Katie MacKenzie added a pair of inside buckets and LC closed it to 33-28 at the half.
Ferris’ defense generated turnovers on three consecutive LC possessions and a 9-2 run helped the lead grow to 12 early in the third quarter. Kennedy Smith drilled a corner 3, Kendall Omlin (12 points) made 3 of 4 at the line and the lead expanded to 17.
“I thought Kendall and Casey and Elliott just played huge for us,” Ward said. “Tonight, you know, they just really stepped up as the leaders and experienced kids and made the plays we need.”
Emma Schisler came off the bench for LC to nail a couple of 3-pointers at the start of the fourth to get the deficit back to single digits, but Hencz hit a couple of 3s from the wing and the Saxons pulled away.
“I knew down the stretch we were gonna need a big play,” Hencz said. “My teammates, we all work together to get me the shot and yeah, I think it was really good team effort.”
Boys
Ferris 58, Lewis and Clark 45: Trayce Atkins scored 23 points and the Saxons (14-5, 5-3) beat the Tigers (7-11, 3-5) in the late game.
Ferris trailed 15-7 after the first quarter, but a 12-0 run in the second helped the Saxons take the lead for good. Ferris is tied with Mead for the second GSL 3A seed to the district tournament with one game to go.
Dylan Skaife added 11 points for Ferris. Ashton Sieveke led LC with 14 points, Landon Lewis added 13 and Liam Cleary had 11, including 8 of 9 from the line.