Hood River girls lose to Milwaukie in NWOC play

Coach Steve Noteboom’s team will try to bounce back this week, but the schedule includes La Salle Prep and Wilsonville, two teams expected to battle for the league crown this season. HRV was scheduled to play at La Salle on Monday and hosts Wilsonville on Thursday.

Of the Milwaukie game, HRV was missing Julia Rowan, who was ill, and Malory McNerney, who was nursing a sore ankle. “And, we had a couple of girls get into foul trouble,” Noteboom explained. Megan Griggs and Ryann Rosselle eventually fouled out for HRV, and a third starter, Marina Castaneda played sparingly, as Noteboom schemed to keep her on the floor as much as possible.

“We just couldn’t score,” he said of the Eagles’ slow start of four points in the opening period and 11 by halftime. But that time it was 36-11 Milwaukie and HRV couldn’t come back.

Noteboom said he and his coaches have been working in practice on their players to be more patience on offense. The young Eagles’ team has just two seniors.

“We just can’t sustain (our offense). There’s been quite a few times where we hit some good shots from the outside and then we get kind of in a hurry,” he said. “We don’t have the patience to look for that really good shot that we need.

“Sometimes we will launch a three when we don’t need it. We just need to be a little more patient and disciplined on the offensive end.”

Griggs led HRV in scoring against Wilsonville with nine points and Grace Rowan added eight, six in the fourth quarter. Milwaukie’s Ayonna Nyong led all scorers with 23 points, 17 coming before halftime.