ULHS girls rough up RUP 60-22

Freshman Young just misses triple-double

SANTA ROSA >> Beating Roseland University Prep’s varsity girls basketball team on its home floor has been a nearly impossible assignment for the Upper Lake Cougars since the Santa Rosa private school joined the North Central League II, but not on Wednesday night.

Though the Cougars were a bit sluggish in the first half, they steamrolled the Knights 60-22 to improve to 2-0 in league play and 14-3 overall. They’ve now won three straight and eight of their last nine as they take aim on tougher league opponents down the road in Sonoma Acadmey (Friday in Upper Lake) and Credo (Tuesday in Upper Lake).

“It was really nice,” Upper Lake assistant coach Raelene Cromwell said of the ease of the Cougars’ victory. “We just need to keep hustling, keep working hard.”

Upper Lake’s starting lineup against RUP consisted of freshmen Heaven’Lee Loans Arrow and Maddy Young, sophomores Karlee Zimmerschied and Zoey Petrie, and senior Alana Sanchez.

“We got after them about hustling,” Cromwell said of the difference between the first and second halves. “We played better in the second half, for sure.”

Cromwell was filling in for head coach Mike Smith, who was out of action with flu-like symptoms.

Even if the Cougars weren’t at the top of their game during the first two quarters against the Knights, they still managed to build a 29-15 halftime lead, with Young being the spark plug, according to Cromwell.

“You would have thought she was at a track meet,” Cromwell said of the point guard’s play. “She was all over the floor.”

Young just missed a triple-double with 13 points, 15 steals and nine rebounds. Sanchez also had a doubledouble with 10 points and 14 rebounds, nine on the offensive boards, while Loans Arrow certainly made her presence felt with 15 rebounds,

“You would have thought she was at a track meet. She was all over the floor.”

— Raelene Cromwell, Upper Lake assistant coach, talking about point guard Maddy Young’s near triple-double game

seven steals, six points and three blocks.

Also for the Cougars, Zimmerschied finished with 13 points, Petrie added eight and Madison Noble had seven.

In the junior varsity game, Upper Lake beat RUP 40-33 as Lupy Monlo-Duncan led the way with 16 points followed by Taylar Minnis with 11.

“We got up as far as 16 at one point, but we got a little lazy at times and their team was quick and aggressive,” Upper Lake coach Angelina Arroyo said. “A couple times my starters got sluggish, so I had to pull them out to sit so the others would hustle.”

Monlo-Duncan’s offense and Nathaly Velasco’s defense were highlights in the victory, according to Arroyo.

“Tay led us in rebounds and I had good, aggressive play from Karla Martin,” Arroyo added. “It was nice to see balanced play and everyone working together as a team to keep us in the win column.”

Upper Lake is 2-0 in league action.