Douglas Gets ‘Rock’ed

Herders extend defending champs’ struggles, beat Douglas for first time since 2009

For 17 years, the friendly battle of Converse County has been anything but a competitive rivalry between the Douglas and Glenrock girls basketball teams. The Bearcats have won every game between the programs during that time while also finishing first, second or third at State 11 of those seasons.

That dominance all came to a crashing halt over the weekend in the first meeting of the season between the teams. Neither squad led by more then three possessions but Herders made the bigger buckets to take down Douglas for the first time since regionals in 2009 with a 46-42 upset.

Most of the girls from both programs weren’t even born the last time the Herders beat DHS, but that didn’t mean a thing Jan. 30 in Glenrock. Behind the deadly shooting touch of sophomore Bailey Cornella and her two three-pointers, GHS scored six of the first eight points.

GHS junior Sheridan Sarvey, the region’s top rebounder, owned the paint early and scored three times, twice on assists from junior Taitum Helmey. Senior Caitilyn Williams nailed a three pointer to take what turned out to be the biggest lead of the night for either team at 15-6.

Even on a bad day, the winningest program in Wyoming history doesn’t go down without a fight. Douglas junior Sarah Smith hit her first shot from 8 feet out and scored again via an offensive rebound while junior Abby Dykes scored with three seconds left putting DHS within two after one quarter, 15-13.

Douglas junior standout Leah Ewing gave Glenrock the most trouble, stealing the ball four times in the first half. One of those takeaways was at midcourt and she drove the distance for a lay up, and Smith scored on an assist from Leah Ewing to give DHS its first lead at 17-15 with 6:15 left in the low-scoring half.

The Herders were down for less than two minutes before going back up on a running jumper via senior Emma Seestie and a three pointer delivered by junior Kiley Smith, which made it 21-17. Again, Douglas made GHS earn its upset as the group met the challenge with free throws courtesy of Smith and a lay up off the left side of the paint courtesy of Leah Ewing to reclaim a two-point edge at 23-21.

The Bearcats held strong enough in the final 90 seconds to preserve the advantage. Junior Samantha Yost scored off a turnover, and Sarah Smith hit more free throws to put the Bearcats up 26-23 at halftime.

Douglas grabbed its biggest lead of the contest a minute into the third period when Leah Ewing got a rebound and drove the length of the floor for a deuce. DHS sophomore Kendrie Ewing and freshman Ellie Seeds were in defensive mode and made things difficult for GHS.

The defense was not enough to make up for offensive woes, several times struggling to get across midcourt against the Herders’ own pesky defense. Seestie hit a trey to take the lead for a few seconds for GHS before Sarah Smith dialed long distance on her own. Leah Ewing scored again to give DHS another advantage at 33-30 with 3:17 left in the third.

Douglas was held to one point in the last three minutes of the quarter. Glenrock used that defensive work to set up another three pointer by Kiley Smith, while Seestie hit a free throw to even the score at 34-34 going into the final quarter.

The lead traded addresses four times in the first five minutes of the fourth period. Helmey tied things at 36-36 while Leah Ewing returned the favor with a lay up that was made possible via a steal by Sarah Smith to knot things up at 39-39.

Both teams missed a combined nine straight shots before the big finish. Douglas grabbed its final at advantage at 42-40 when Kendrie Ewing stole the ball and drove in for a lay up.

The Herders went up for the last time when Sarvey nailed a three pointer to go in front 43-42. DHS next turned the ball over and Sarvey sealed the deal from the free-throw line.

On the road again
Both teams hit the road the following morning for separate conference showdowns. Glenrock left all of its offensive rhythm in the Douglas game as it went to Torrington and was ice cold in a 56-40 setback, proving how incredibly even the conference is this year.

Douglas traveled to Burns to face a Broncs team that beat Glenrock two weeks ago. Burns didn’t have that luck against the Bearcats who held BHS to just eight points in each of the first two periods en route to a convincing 48-27 victory.