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Shared hoop dreams

February 5, 2009

By Jim Feehan

Hazen, Liberty squads among league leaders 

Airashay Rogers, Hazen freshman, puts up two of her team-high and game-high-tying 16 points despite the double-teaming defense of Liberty’s Danni Sjolander (45) and Breanne Faehnrich in the second quarter. Liberty won, 65-38. Photo by Greg Farrar

Airashay Rogers, Hazen freshman, puts up two of her team-high and game-high-tying 16 points despite the double-teaming defense of Liberty’s Danni Sjolander (45) and Breanne Faehnrich in the second quarter. Liberty won, 65-38. Photo by Greg Farrar

Both the Hazen and Liberty high schools’ girls basketball teams remain among leaders in their respective leagues heading into February.

Hazen (8-4 in Seamount League play and 10-5 overall) is battling Mount Rainier (9-2, 11-3) for second place in the league. Kennedy, ranked No. 1 in the state among 3A schools, leads the Seamount (12-0, 16-0) going into the last week of the regular season.

Liberty, Mercer Island and Bellevue have each been atop the KingCo 3A league at some point during the season. The Patriots (6-2-, 10-3) are one game behind Mercer Island (5-1, 10-4) heading into February.

Three days into the year, the Highlanders and Patriots played a nonconference game at Hazen. 

Katie Growden scored 11 or her team-high 16 points in the third quarter to lead Liberty to a 65-38 victory.

Following that game, Hazen won seven of its next eight games. The only loss came against Kennedy, 66-26, on Jan 16.

Freshman guard Airashay Rogers is among the leading scorers among high school players in Western Washington and leads the Highlanders in scoring, averaging 19.2 points a game. 

Senior forwards Darralita Taylor (9.2 points per game) and Gina Kirklin (7.9 points per game) are second and third on the team in scoring, respectively.

Meanwhile, Liberty (7-3, 14-3) opened the season winning 10 of its first 11 games, losing to Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) High School. The victories propelled the Patriots to the Associated Press’ Top 10 list, only to have Liberty lose to Juanita at home and at Mercer Island in mid-January.

Liberty defeated Bellevue, 46-43, Jan. 28 to sweep the Wolverines this season. 

Senior forward Corrina Van Hurston hit four clutch free throws in the closing minute to win the game. Van Hurston (13.1 points per game) leads a well-balanced attack that includes senior guard Growden (11.3 points per game), sophomore forward Danni Sjolander (9.3 points per game) and junior guard Breanne Faehnrich (8.7 points per game). On Jan. 30, Liberty crushed winless Sammamish at home 73-17.

“I think in stretches we look pretty good,” Liberty coach Randy Leifer said. “We’re still not able to put 32 minutes together. I think if we can do that we’ll be happy.”

Written by Jim Feehan · Filed Under Sports 

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