‘Rubber Chicken’: Sadie Pierce takes over in fourth quarter, paces Lewis and Clark to victory

Ferris and Lewis and Clark high schools have been waging an intense but friendly rivalry since 1983, when a student competition between the schools was adopted to increase student spirit at both . The symbol of the rivalry, an ugly rubber chicken, was chosen to symbolize a reward “deeply sought but without actual value.”

The real value has been to the basketball community at large in Spokane, as the “Rubber Chicken” game has turned into a week of highly anticipated and well-attended spirit games between Greater Spokane League teams at the Arena.

So, when the Tigers and Saxons girls squared off Thursday in the 42nd edition of the games, there was more than pride on the line in an early-season nonleague basketball contest.

Senior Sadie Pierce scored 21 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and the Tigers held off the Saxons 52-47.

Mataia Eschenbacher led Ferris with 17 points – eight in the fourth quarter. The Saxons came back from nine points down in the fourth quarter to trim the deficit to three twice, but got no closer.

“(Pierce) is just a motor for us,” Lewis and Clark first-year coach Sydney Floriani said. “She’s a veteran player, a lot of experience in a lot of different ways. I think her mental game just really came through today. She gathered people, helped them play together. But more importantly, she just really pushed on the offensive end, which is just a threat for us.”

Pierce shot 8 of 10 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter as Ferris mounted its comeback attempt.

“You’ve just got to take a deep breath,” Pierce said of the free throws. “Those are the ones you know you can make. They’re the easy shots, and you’ve just got to go out there and make them.”

“I think that just comes to being a senior and being a veteran of knowing how to handle the pressure and adjust the shot to when it matters,” Floriani said.

“It definitely helps you come down the court and know (coach) wants you to have the ball in your hands,” Pierce said. “You’re ready to go. It makes you more ready to go play.”

This was Floriani’s first Rubber Chicken, but she is no stranger to spirit week.

“I played in the ‘Stinky Sneaker’ back in 2012, so I love this environment,” she said. “It’s super fun. There’s nothing like playing in the Arena, and Rubber Chicken is just one of the best-attended events in Spokane.”

Ferris led early, but Ruby Shaw made two buckets in the paint at the end of the first quarter to pull LC within 13-12. The scoring dried up a little in the second quarter, but Mackenzie Earling knocked down a 3 and the Tigers (4-4) led 23-21 at the half.

Olivia Baird heated up in the latter stages of the third quarter, going for six points in the last 2 minutes of the period to spur the Tigers to a 35-29 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Shaw converted a three-point play early in the fourth, then Pierce made a pair at the line to push LC’s lead to seven. Pierce scored on a fast break and the Tigers went up 42-33, the largest lead of the game, with 5 minutes to go.

Ferris (2-5) went on a 6-0 run, then Eschenbacher hit a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game with 35.3 seconds left. Pierce was fouled in the backcourt, made two free throws, then the Tigers made a steal and Pierce added two more at the line.

“It’s the best game of the season,” Pierce said. “It’s so fun to have everyone come and watch.”

Lewis and Clark won the boys game 58-49.