Riverhawk girls continue home stand this week

THE DALLES — The Dalles girls basketball team continues a welcome three-game home stand this week, with league match-ups against Gladstone and Estacada up next.

Coach Ronni Blodgett’s team (5-10 overall, 1-1 Tri-Valley Conference) opened league play Jan. 23 with a 53-42 loss at Madras; it was the Riverhawks’ fourth straight away game. The January schedule had the road-weary team traveling west to the Oregon Coast for games at Tillamook and Seaside, southeast to Bend to play Class 5A Mountain View, and finally to Madras.

Once back Kurtz Gym, the Riverhawks were derailed against visiting La Grande (9-8 overall) in a non-league game on Jan. 24 by a two-point second quarter. The Dalles led 17-12 after the opening period, but was outscored 18-2 by the Bulldogs in the second eight minutes of play.

La Grande went on a 14-0 scoring spurt, which was broken up by Morgan Donivan’s basket from the left corner with 2:33 to play before halftime. The Dalles kept battling and pulled within 46-33 midway through the final period before La Grande iced the contest with a 10-0 run late.

Donivan and teammate Evelyn Rogers led The Dalles with nine points apiece. Rogers also drew four charges on the night, good for a new school record for the Riverhawks.

Gladstone (2-14, 0-2 TVC) comes to The Dalles on Jan. 27, and Estacada (8-8, 1-1) is in town on Jan. 29. The Dalles has four of its next five games at home.