Spartans heat up late, Kasper's career comes to an end for E-W
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 | 12:41 am
The Stanwood Spartans and Edmonds-Woodway Warriors met in a 4A girls District 1 loser-out game on Tuesday night, with the 21-2 Spartans winning 46-36.
It wasn't without a great challenge from the Warriors. Madeline Kasper kept her team in the game, even helping them take a lead after three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, the Spartans showed why they have only lost two games all season.
Neither team shot a particularly high percentage during the first three quarters, but down the stretch the Spartans found their stroke led by Rachel Swartz who scored 14 points. Paisley Heckman chipped in 10 for Stanwood.
The game, while not always pretty, was a joy to watch from a defensive perspective. Both teams did a good job of controlling the opposing front-line. In the end, the depth of the Spartans was too much.
The Spartans continue to try to advance to the state regionals on the consolation bracket. Stanwood faces Arlington on Friday in another loser-out game. The winner of the game will advance to take on the Kingco's third place team with a berth in regionals on the line.
There was one other part of Tuesday's game that deserves to be recognized. The outstanding career of Madeline Kasper at Edmonds-Woodway came to a close. Head coach Duane Hodges said Kasper has won over 100 games as a starter at E-W. That is quite the number.
In the game's final seconds, in a classy move, Hodges took Kasper out so that the fans could give her an ovation for what she has accomplished in her career. The fans obliged and she gave her coach a hug.
After the game, Hodges said he was fighting back tears. Kasper might have been as well.
I would also like to commend Stanwood coach Dennis Kloke for taking a moment in the handshake line to congratulate Kasper on a great career. He said after the game that he told her that he enjoyed seeing her competitive spirit.
Both coaches got it right in this instance. Student-athletes often give so much of themselves and for many of them it sometimes ends in disappointment even if the sum of what they have accomplished is a success.
Hats off to both coaches for recognizing the career of a talented player even when so much was on the line.
It wasn't without a great challenge from the Warriors. Madeline Kasper kept her team in the game, even helping them take a lead after three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, the Spartans showed why they have only lost two games all season.
Neither team shot a particularly high percentage during the first three quarters, but down the stretch the Spartans found their stroke led by Rachel Swartz who scored 14 points. Paisley Heckman chipped in 10 for Stanwood.
The game, while not always pretty, was a joy to watch from a defensive perspective. Both teams did a good job of controlling the opposing front-line. In the end, the depth of the Spartans was too much.
The Spartans continue to try to advance to the state regionals on the consolation bracket. Stanwood faces Arlington on Friday in another loser-out game. The winner of the game will advance to take on the Kingco's third place team with a berth in regionals on the line.
There was one other part of Tuesday's game that deserves to be recognized. The outstanding career of Madeline Kasper at Edmonds-Woodway came to a close. Head coach Duane Hodges said Kasper has won over 100 games as a starter at E-W. That is quite the number.
In the game's final seconds, in a classy move, Hodges took Kasper out so that the fans could give her an ovation for what she has accomplished in her career. The fans obliged and she gave her coach a hug.
After the game, Hodges said he was fighting back tears. Kasper might have been as well.
I would also like to commend Stanwood coach Dennis Kloke for taking a moment in the handshake line to congratulate Kasper on a great career. He said after the game that he told her that he enjoyed seeing her competitive spirit.
Both coaches got it right in this instance. Student-athletes often give so much of themselves and for many of them it sometimes ends in disappointment even if the sum of what they have accomplished is a success.
Hats off to both coaches for recognizing the career of a talented player even when so much was on the line.
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