Lady Vandals win three straight despite injuries

A depleted Eureka County High School girls basketball team managed to maintain its second-place standing in the Eastern 1A by winning three straight games, including a road win at league foe McDermitt on Friday, Jan. 23.

“A couple of injuries have left the team a little short, but we are making adjustments and making the best of it,” ECHS head coach Travis Gallagher said. 

ECHS sophomore Anna McKay led the Vandals with 11 points and four steals in the win over the Bulldogs. Classmate Natalie Bliss was one point and one rebound shy of a double-double, with nine points, nine boards and six steals. 

The Vandals crashed the boards to collect 48 rebounds as a team, with Annie Tibbitts getting 13 and Quil Filippini grabbing 10.

“That was a good win for the girls in McDermitt. It is always a tough place to play,” Gallagher commented.

In a late addition to the schedule, the Vandals got a non-league victory over Round Mountain, 40-31, on Saturday, Jan. 24. Natalie Bliss led Eureka with 10 points, and Annie Tibbitts and Quil Filippini both added eight. 

Then on Tuesday, Jan. 27, ECHS broke the Lund Mustangs 43-20. Lund never scored more than six points in a quarter, and Bliss nearly outscored the Mustangs with her 16 points. Tibbitts added a dozen in the win.

Jackpot (1-9, 1-7) visits ECHS at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, but before that, the Vandals (13-5, 6-2) have a huge game at home against Wells (14-5, 5-3) on Friday, Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. They lost the first matchup at Wells 23-21 and only have a one-game lead over Wells for the second seed in the playoffs. 

“The girls are playing well and are fired up to get some payback for their first loss in league play a month ago,” said Gallagher. “We hope to have the injured players back.”