CLOVERDALE — On a night when the Clear Lake Cardinals turned ice cold from the field, the last thing they needed was to lose sophomore guard Sydney Howe, their best defender, to foul trouble.
That’s what happened in a 64-31 loss to the No. 1-seeded Cloverdale Eagles on Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the North Coast Section girls basketball playoffs at Cloverdale.
“Cloverdale played awesome,” Clear Lake head coach Phil Psalmonds said of the third meeting this season between the two teams, one that took place only nine days after the Cardinals (14-10) defeated the Eagles 63-52 in the North Central League I and regular-season finale for both clubs.
Even the first meeting, a 55-46 Cloverdale win on Jan. 24 in Cloverdale, was a competitive game.
The difference this time?
“We missed everything we could and I think they hit their first 10 shots,” Psalmonds said of the Eagles (22-3), the two-time defending NCL I champions who will meet Upper Lake (22-4), this year’s NCL II champion, in the sectional semifinals Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Cloverdale.
The Eagles wasted no time taking control of the game. They jumped out to a 18-2 lead and led 20-6 after one quarter and 40-17 at halftime. Howe’s absence had a lot to do with that.
“She picked up three fouls in the first quarter and had to sit out the second quarter,” Psalmonds said. “She’s our best defender.”
Four-year varsity veteran Tehya Bird and teammate Ahnna Randolph scored 15 points apiece to lead the Cloverdale rout although Bird’s contributions went well beyond her scoring, according to Psalmonds. “Bird was able to do what she wanted, but she does a lot more for them (than score).”
The Eagles also were able to handle Clear Lake’s pressure defense this time around.
“It spiraled on us,” Psalmonds said.
Joy Ingalls led the Cardinals with 14 points and Rylee Mix added eight.
Third-place finishers in the NCL I this season despite starting no seniors, Clear Lake’s immediate future looks pretty bright, according to Psalmonds.
“We’re a young team like Upper Lake,” he said. “I’m thinking we’re going to be pretty solid. We’ll use tonight as a learning experience. These kids are great kids.”
