Gunnison ladies fall in first round of state games to Layton Christian
Matt Harris
Staff writer
2-23-2017
OREM—The Gunnison girls basketball team fell in the first round of the 2A playoffs to Layton Christian Academy last Friday night, 59-40.
Although many assumed that the Lady Bulldogs were unlikely to get the win, Gunnison looked far more solid against the top-tier Eagles than expected in the game that ended their season, hopefully, a sign of things to come. A poor start proved the biggest difference in the loss.
“We are proud of the girls and how they played hard during the entire game against Layton Christian,” head coach Melissa Sorensen said. “We had a bad first quarter, due to inexperience and nerves. We played them closely the other three quarters. It was a good experience for our team to have, and hopefully, we can build on it in future years.”
After the Lady Bulldogs already found themselves down 14-4 at the end of the first, Gunnison played respectably throughout, keeping the Lady Eagles relatively within blowout distance. Sophomore Kezzley Winn led Gunnison in scoring with eight points, while the scoring was effectively spread around the entire team.
Inexperience has been a big factor in the struggles of the Lady Bulldogs’ 6-16 season, with only one senior, Jerusha Miner, on this year’s roster, while the better portion of the roster has been comprised of sophomores, including their top five scorers.
“The team made a lot of progress during the season,” Sorensen said. “I think the biggest thing the girls developed was mental toughness and the willingness to play hard, regardless of the score or outcome.”
As Miner graduates, the Lady Bulldogs have high hopes for next season, bringing back a solid core of players to hopefully end their playoff drought, now lasting three years.
