Lehi Sports
Pioneer girls end season with road loss
The No. 11 Lehi High School girls basketball team came out on the short end of a thriller in the second round of the 6A state tournament on Thursday (Feb. 20) against the No. 6 Darts (16-6).
Feb. 20: Davis 54, Lehi 52
The visiting Pioneers hit the court with energy and created a 17-11 margin by the end of the first quarter. The Darts responded in the second period however, holding Lehi to four points and scoring freely to move in front 29-21 at the break.
The teams played even in the third quarter, so the Pioneers were still staring at an eight-point deficit entering the final stretch and fell behind by 13 points early in the stanza.
Fueled by eight points from senior wing Ellie Hill, including a pair of triples, and two buckets by sophomore post Paisley Worthen, Lehi climbed back into the game. The second of Hill’s treys tied the score with 17 seconds left.
Davis worked the clock down and then a player drove to the hoop, drawing a foul with two seconds left. The Dart made both of her free throws and the Pioneers were unable to find a shot before the buzzer sounded and the curtain came down on their season.
Hill ended the night with 13 points to lead the visitors including three shots from long distance and five rebounds. Sophomore guard Hayden Warren added nine points and freshman guard Cali Ashton netted eight points with three assists and a blocked shot.
Freshman post Kelcee Rasmussen scored six with three blocks and Worthen finished with six points as well.
“It’s a really heartbreaking way to end a season,” said Coach Sean Seastrand. “Winning a playoff game on the road is tough and our girls fought really hard. They never gave up. They stayed focused on each possession and played incredible down the stretch.
“Our final defensive stand was actually really great despite the result being a foul,” he continued. “Unfortunately, they made both free throws and we were unable to get a look in the last second. It’s hard to swallow but at the same time, I’m so proud of their resilience and fight.”
The Pioneers concluded the season with an overall mark of 13-11. “The season as a whole was filled with ups and downs,” Seastrand said. “Losing two starters before the season even began put us on a path of adversity that never seemed to let up all year.
“We had to adjust and adapt,” he said. “We went younger and changed the style of play we had worked on for an entire offseason. Of our 11 losses, eight of them were single-digit losses that came down to the last possessions of the game.
“But what I am so proud of is despite these many points where they could have really dwelled in negativity and frustration, they showed up every day with a smile, positivity, and a growth mindset,” Seastrand said.
“They were truly a remarkable group to be around and I learned so much from them and felt so privileged to coach them this year,” he added. “We will miss our seniors who really built that culture by example but look forward to bringing back a lot of girls and being more experienced next year.”
