The Galena Girls Basketball team starts off their regional run with a bang in a blowout victory against the Warren Warriors. With a final score of 58 – 17, the race for the NUIC regional crown has officially begun and Galena inserted themselves as a top contender. Games are played at East Dubuque’s infamous “dome” where teams from all around the area come to compete.
Beginning in the first quarter, the Pirates had a great offensive drive to start out the night. Gaining a 16 – 5 lead, we saw contributions to the scoreboard come from all players. Freshman Ava Merrit drained a three, standout player Gracie Furlong ‘25 put up 7, and Junior Dani Rae swished 2 free throws. “Shooting free throws is one of the most nerve-racking parts of the game for me,” says Hulcher, “but I always start by taking a deep breath and taking my time.”
As for the second quarter, Leah Heller ‘27 showed her dominance on the court making 4 out of 5 free throws and scoring another 4 points for the Pirates. “Leah has been a consistent and reliable player on the court this year and I can’t wait to see her at her full potential,” Coach Watson commented. Yet again, Furlong put up another 7 in the second quarter and continued to play a scrappy defense against the Warriors.
Coming into the second half, Galena didn’t lay off the gas and put an even further stop to Warren’s offensive plays. The Pirates only allowed the Warriors to score 7 points in the whole second half, but as for the Pirates, they put up another 24 points. Sophomore Kendra Bauer came out in the second half scoring 2 threes and freshman Sara Wienen scored 1 three. “I start to warm up my game the most by the second half and that’s usually the part of the game I stand out the most in,” Bauer shared.
The game came to a quick end with a 58 – 17 Pirate win. The team will continue their regional run on Friday against opponents East Dubuque. We hope to see endless Pirate support for the team and wish them all the best in the postseason.
