PREP HOOPS: Top-ranked Crater girls clinch undefeated run through MWL

Published 1:11 pm Saturday, March 1, 2025

Four Comets score in double figures to stun Springfield; Eagle Point girls clinch playoff spot

Once the top-ranked Crater girls basketball team got rolling Friday night, they were all business in Springfield.

After fielding an energetic opening burst by the host Millers — ranked No. 6 in the Class 5A coaches poll — the Comets turned on the jets to seize full control and wrap up an undefeated Midwestern League campaign with a 74-44 road victory.

Crater (24-1, 12-0 MWL) carried a modest three-point lead into the second quarter before getting a big boost from senior Alexa Gugliotta, who registered half of her 12 points in the frame.

The Comets steadily pulled away from there, countering five Springfield 3-pointers in the second half with four of their own to go with a defensive effort that allowed only seven field goals and 22 points overall in the final 16 minutes.

In contrast, Crater scored 21 points during the third quarter alone — with senior Addi Dippel knocking down a pair of shots beyond the arc — and tacked on 20 more points in the fourth quarter as senior Sage Winslow closed out Springfield by going 5-for-6 from the free-throw line toward 10 of her 14 points in the final frame.

Junior guard Taylor Young was a consistent thorn in the side of the Millers (17-7, 10-2), collecting 21 points to go with four assists and three steals.

Dippel finished with 12 points, three assists and two steals, while Lydia Traore had nine points and 10 rebounds and Winslow also contributed eight steals, four rebounds and two assists.

Sophomore Sailor Hall led Springfield with 17 points.

CRATER (74): Gugliotta 12, Winslow 14, Jackson 0, Fernandez 3, Dippel 12, Plankenhorn 3, Kitchen 0, Yohner 0, Young 21, Traore 9.

SPRINGFIELD (44): Jones 2, Romero-Ah Sam 4, Wilson 5, Cofey 2, Martinez-Contreras 0, Kelley 2, Filipe 5, Woodard 7, Hall 17.

Crater 15 18 21 20 — 74

Springfield 12 10 15 7 — 44

3-point goals — Crater 7 (Winslow 1, Fernandez 1, Dippel 2, Young 3), Springfield 6 (Hall 4, Woodard 1, Wilson 1).

EAGLE POINT 68, CHURCHILL 19: At Eagle Point, with an automatic Class 5A state playoff bid just waiting for Eagle Point to claim, the Eagles shook off some early nerves and finished strong to wrap up the regular season with the MWL’s No. 3 seed to state.

Eagle Point senior Kady Lindstrom provided a dynamic effort in her final home game, pouring in 30 points behind six 3-pointers to go with 10 rebounds.

Jill Garlitz added 18 points and Thianna Deng-Gomez had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Eagles (14-9, 7-5 MWL), who broke the game open with a 28-5 surge in the second quarter.

CHURCHILL (19): Friesen 6, Cavanagh 0, Emmons 0, R. Perrott 1, Davies 0, Stone 0, Buendia 3, Erlenbush 9, A. Perrott 0.

EAGLE POINT (68): Haning 4, Carrillo 2, Metcalf 0, Garlitz 18, Edwards 0, Lindstrom 30, Jackson 0, Daw 2, Deng-Gomez 12.

Churchill 6 5 5 3 — 19

Eagle Point 11 28 14 15 — 68

3-point goals — Churchill 3 (Friesen 2, Buendia 1), Eagle Point 11 (Lindstrom 6, Garlitz 4, Deng-Gomez 1).

THURSTON 52, ASHLAND 38: At Ashland, host Ashland dropped its 10th straight game despite producing its highest point total in a month in the MWL contest.

The Grizzlies dropped to 5-18 overall and 1-10 in conference play, while Thurston moved to 11-13 and 6-6, respectively.

Boys Basketball

CRATER 76, SPRINGFIELD 58: At Springfield, Crater junior Julien Grant built on his hot finish to the season with 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the regular-season finale.

Tremaine Smith contributed 17 points and eight rebounds and Malachi Barlow added 13 points, five assists and four rebounds for the Comets, who wrapped up an injury-plagued regular season at 12-12 overall and 6-6 in Midwestern League play.

Senior Ben Higginson collected 10 rebounds to go with five steals and four assists, and L.J. Leland scored 11 points against winless Springfield.

CRATER (76): Rodriguez 0, Leland 11, Smith 17, Higginson 6, Converse 0, Grant 23, Barlow 13, Darnell 0, Robinson 0, Cole 6. Totals: 28 12-19 76.

SPRINGFIELD (58): Lo’ser 2, Petersen 5, Miller 6, Rasmussen 2, Whelan 2, Arellano 15, Trinka 17, Beebe 8, James 0. Totals: 19 16-25 58.

Crater 21 16 24 15 — 76

Springfield 15 10 14 19 — 58

3-point goals — Crater 8 (Leland 3, Smith 3, Grant 2), Springfield 4 (Trinka 2, Petersen 1, Miller 1).

CHURCHILL 86, EAGLE POINT 68: At Eugene, Eagle Point suffered a fourth straight loss to wrap up its season at 8-17 overall and 3-9 in Midwestern League play.

THURSTON 74, ASHLAND 62: At Ashland, Ashland’s bid for a Midwestern League upset came up short as Thurston clinched an unbeaten run through conference play.

The Grizzlies (12-11, 5-6 MWL) dropped into must-win territory entering their regular-season finale Tuesday against Churchill (12-11, 6-5), with only three automatic bids to the 5A state playoffs coming out of the MWL.

Thurston (21-3, 12-0 MWL) and second-place North Eugene (16-8, 9-3) have secured two of those three bids. An Ashland win Tuesday would force a three-way tie for third place with the Lancers and Crater, although Churchill boasts the better state power ranking of the trio.

Reach sports editor Kris Henry at khenry@rv-times.com or 458-488-2035