FORT JONES – The Etna Lions (1-0) opened their 2010 season with an 11-1 blow out of the Weed Cougars (1-3) on Thursday at the Marble Mountain Tournament. The tournament host Lions ended the game via the mercy rule, with an 8-run sixth inning.

Etna put a pair of runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Hank Johnson led off with a walk, and swiped second. H. Johnson scored when Colby Rimmer reached on an error. With one down, Clint Eastlick singled, moving Rimmer to third. Clint Eastlick went to second on the throw to third. Robbie Munson picked up an RBI on a ground out that scored Rimmer.

The Lions struck again in the bottom of the third inning. Josh Jordan was hit by a pitch to lead off. Jordan stole second. Clint Eastlick was hit by a pitch. A single by Munson loaded the bases. Austin Hasemeyer reached on a fielder’s choice, but Jordan was forced out at the plate. Caleb Eastlick grounded out to first, scoring brother Clint and giving Etna a 3-0 lead. (more…)

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Shasta Cascade League

Girls – MVP: Kristi Cearley, Fall River; Coach of the Year: Kathy Jones, Fall River

Mt. Shasta

Taylor Hansen

Amanda Amesbury

Rachel Abbott

Jeana Michels – Honorable Mention

Etna

Annaleisa Nadig

Paige Finley

Tandy Thackeray

Ilima Adams – Honorable Mention (more…)

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She wasn’t flashy. Going coast-to-coast for a lay up was a rarity. And, she was never a show boat. What Etna Lady Lion Annaleisa Nadig did do was consistently perform on the basketball court. On a league championship team that was loaded with talent, no one was better than Nadig this season.

Nadig led the Lady Lions in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and blocked shots (1.9 bpg). She had the best shooting percentage on the team (47) and 3-point shooting percentage (42). Her free throw percentage was second best (67). Nadig averaged 10.5 points per game, and 2.6 steals. She had the least turnovers among the starters.

Six times in the 2009-10 season, Nadig registered a double-double for points and rebounds. Her highest scoring output was 26 points against Lost River. She also had 10 boards in that game. However, Nadig’s most impressive game came against Fall River in a must win situation for the Lady Lions. A loss meant third place. A win meant a co-championship and high playoff seed. Nadig responded to the challenge with a 16-point, 18-rebound performance.

What makes Nadig’s stats impressive is not how high they are. Many players in the Shasta Cascade League, and even on her team, have numbers that are higher in various categories. What’s impressive is the number of different areas where she excels. Plus, Nadig did it on a team where there were several players capable of putting up big numbers, and playing time was distributed among nine players. (more…)

DURHAM – While it certainly wasn’t the way the third-seeded Etna Lady Lions wanted to end their season – a 67-42 loss to the second-seeded Durham Trojans – the team still accomplished a lot this year.

The Lady Lions had their first 20-win season since 04-05 (22-7 in 04-05 and this season), and made it as far as the semi-finals for the first time since 04-05. For the second straight year, Etna also captured at least a share of the Shasta Cascade League championship.

As for the final game, let’s just say the Durham Lady Trojans must have thought Thanksgiving came early, as they carved up Etna’s zone defense and dished out a healthy serving of points in the paint. At the other end, Durham played in-your-face defense that seemed to frustrate Etna.

The game was competitive through most of the first three quarters, and Etna showed signs that it might be able to rally. But, Durham was just too well coached, too disciplined, and too fundamentally sound for the Lady Lions to handle. (more…)

TULELAKE – Before the game even started, the Tulelake Honkers found themselves in a bit of a bind. Leading scorer Nick Staub (20 ppg) rolled an ankle in warm ups and was unable to play. As it turned out, it didn’t matter.

The Honkers showed they have the hearts of lions, as they overcame a double digit deficit in the first half to defeat the Etna Lions, 51-44, in their NSCIF Division-V playoff opener on Wednesday night.

The eleventh-seeded and upset minded Lions used a 17-4 run to open a 12-point lead over the sixth-seeded Honkers early in the second quarter. Trailing 8-7 with 3:12 left in the opening quarter, Erik Anaya put the Lions up 9-7, with an assist from Clint Eastlick. A steal-n-score by Brent Davis made it 11-7. Eastlick put back a rebound, 13-7. Honker Jacob Woodson temporarily interrupted the run with a put back, making it 13-10. Anaya dished to Andy Menne for a hoop to resume the Etna run, 15-10. It was Davis to Anaya to make it 17-10. An Anaya put back upped Etna’s advantage to nine points, 19-10. Tulelake scored on a nice inbound play from Zane Burrier to sophomore Adam Kandra with four seconds to go in the first quarter, leaving Etna with a 19-12 lead heading into the second frame. (more…)

ETNA – In a game that had the intensity of a checkers match, the third-seeded Etna Lady Lions routed the Esparto Lady Spartans (11) on Tuesday night, 64-38. The first round game of the NSCIF D-V playoffs wasn’t even that close.

The Spartans were without their top scorer and rebounder, who was ineligible for the game, and seemed as though they would’ve rather stayed home. The Lady Lions, meanwhile, appeared bored with the whole thing. After all, how many fast break buckets can you score before the thrill is gone?

Esparto (11-15) did hold leads of 1-0 and 4-3, but Ilima Adams put Etna up for good with a hoop at the 4:30 mark of the first quarter. After that, it was just about all Lady Lions. Tandy Tahckeray dished to Paige Finley for a bucket, 7-4. Two Finley freebies made it 9-4. A trey by Emily Loogman upped the Etna advantage to eight points, 12-4, with 4:04 to go in the quarter. (more…)