***updated again on 2/24/2018 @ 9:03am with Joe Shoemaker quotes and boy HUDL stats***
Before last year, it had never happened before. Now its happened two years in a row. The Oran High School girls and boys basketball teams are both district champions. For the Lady Eagles, it is their fifth straight title after defeating Chaffee 56-44. The boys, who have made an appearance in eight championship games in a row have won back-to-back crowns after a surprisingly easy win over St. Vincent 77-46. It was their sixth straight win over the Indians.
The girls got things started last night at a jam-packed Perry Park Center. For the second straight year Oran fell behind Chaffee. Last year it was a second-quarter comeback, this year it didn't happen until the third.
The Lady Eagles were down 14-11 after one and trailed 27-22 at the break. But Oran used a 20-10 third-quarter advantage to take the lead and went on to win by 12.
In that third quarter, the Eagles were down 31-22 at the 7:16 mark. Then, Leah Cauble hit a driving field goal to make it 31-24 with 7:04 to go in the third. Jessie Long intercepted a pass under their goal and Cauble was fouled at the other end with 5:43 left in the period.
Six seconds later Kaylee Payne hit a mid-range jumper to make it 31-26. Clair Ramsey secured a rebound surrounded by taller Chaffee players and the Eagles executed a sideline fast break to perfection. As Ramsey got the outlet pass to Cauble who pushed it ahead to Katelyn Streeter. Streeter found Payne on the left block who fed Long open under the basket and the Oran was down 31-28 with just over five minutes remaining the third.
Chaffee hit 2 free throws to break their drought. After the Eagles missed three point blank attempts the Lady Devils scored to push the lead to seven with about four minutes on the clock
Cauble got an offensive putback and it was 35-30 with three and a half to go. Chaffee scored on a putback with just over three left.
Cauble found Long behind the defense for a lay-in to make it 37-32 with 3 minutes on the clock.
The Eagles were called for three fouls during the next Devil possession before Katie Webb got a steal after a Ramsey deflection with 2:30 remaining
Cauble made one of two free throws to make it 37-33. Then, Long got a steal on the inbounds, found a Cauble for a lay up and it was 37-35 with 2:11 left. After Ramsey picked up a steal just past halfcourt and she hit Cauble for another lay up the score was tied at 37 with 1:46 on the clock and the Red Devils took a timeout.
An offensive foul gave the Eagles a chance to take its first lead since the opening seconds but Oran could not score.
An Eagle foul put Chaffee in the bonus, but Ramsey grabbed the missed attempt and Streeter hit a three from the left wing giving Oran the lead 40-37. Streeter then grabbed a rebound with under a minute remaining, pushed the ball up court and hit an open Cauble for another layup the score was 42-37.
Chaffee threw the ball away on the inbounds and then took another timeout. But the Eagles could not score again in the period. But they had turned a five-point deficit into a five-point lead.
Long scored five in the first minute of 4th. She hit one from the right block and then a trey from the right corner.
It was their 10th straight win over their conference rivals over the past three seasons, meaning, none of the current girls have tasted defeat to the Lady Devils.
Coach Ethan Evans said, "It was nice to pick up the championship victory but I wish we would’ve played better. We made mistakes that we normally don’t make. The girls showed a lot of heart and determination in coming back from a halftime deficit. We finally made the run in the 2nd half that I had been waiting for the whole game. Overall it was great to win the district title once again."
Leah Cauble led all scorers with 29. She hit one from beyond the arc and she grabbed a team-high eight rebound. Jessie Long 13 points, including a trey during the third, and four steals. Kaylee Payne finished with 11. She was 7 of 7 from the line in the first half helping to keep the Lady Eagles within striking distance.
Katelyn Streeter hit a big three during that third period run to account for her points. She also had six rebounds. Claire Ramsey did not score but she also grabbed six boards and had a team-high three assists.
It was a poor shooting night for Oran, who hit only 17-43 from inside the arc for 30% and 3 of 14 from beyond for 21%. At the free throw line, they made only 50% (13-26).
The Lady Eagles improved to 22-4 with the win.
They will face Puxico for the second year in a row in the sectional round next Wednesday at 6 pm at Jackson High School. Last year Oran prevailed 73-54 in a game much closer than the final score would indicate.
During the nightcap, the boys were, for the first time in the last two years, the visitors on the scoreboard and attired in their blue uniforms in Perryville. That was because the host St. Vincent Indians had been awarded the top seed and Oran was number two. That seemed to motivate the Eagles as they came out on fire and led from wire to wire picking up the 31 point victory that featured a running clock at the end of the game.
Oran led 13-2 less than four minutes into the contest. It was 25-5 after one.
With three Eagle starters carrying two fouls each, Oran slowed it down in the second but still held a commanding 36-13 lead at the intermission.
The Indians were able to cut the deficit to 19 in the third but got no closer as the Eagles closed it out strong.
Oran had four players score in double-figures.
Layne "The Rock" Johnson was the game's high-scorer with 22, 16 of which came during the first half when the Eagles built their lead. Johnson hit five three's on the night. Cole Priggel finished with 20, 16 of which came in the second half. Jacob Shoemaker finished with 18, including a trey. Todd Priggel added 10, including two really nice coast-to-coast drives.
Drew Reischman scored five and Tyson Goodale had two.
Coach Joe Shoemaker said, "I thought the boys played very hard and disciplined on defense and rebounding. We also shot the ball very well especially in the beginning where we were able to jump out to a big lead. We were able to overcome what could have been some possible foul trouble at the end of the first half. I really appreciate all of the great fan support that we had."
The boys hit 12 of 18 from the line for 67%. From inside the arc, they were 23 of 36 for 64% they hit 6 of 16 from beyond for 68%. On the other hand, the Indians only hit 13 of 31 from two for 42%. They were 3 of 17 from three-point range for 18%. At the line, they were 9 of 14 for 64%. The Eagles out-rebounded their opponent by a margin of 17, 37-20.
They are now 21-5 and will face Hayti next Wednesday following the girls at 7:45. Last year Oran won a thriller 53-47.
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