January 8, 2025
ISSUE 2
50¢
IT'S IN THE CLASSIFIEDS
Hunting for a job? In the market for a new home? Have something to sell? Turn to the Classifieds in The Dispatch and at dispatchnews.com
COURTESY JEN HERBRAND
The Eatonville Cruiser boys basketball team poses for a photo and celebrate their first win of the season and Coach Josh Bennett's first victory as head coach after defeating the Tempe Prep Knights 48-44.
Eatonville boys secure first win of season By Skip Smith Contributing Writer
The Eatonville Cruisers boys basketball team capped off their trip to Arizona with a milestone win at the Coyote Basketball Invitational, defeating Tempe Prep 48-44 to secure their first victory of the season and deliver Head Coach Josh Bennett his first career win at the helm.
The hard-fought win over Tempe Prep came after two challenging losses in the tournament. The Cruisers' resilience was on full display as they battled through momentum swings to close out the game with a decisive 7-0 run, staving off a late push by the Knights. “This win meant a lot to our team and our coaching staff,”
Bennett said. “To come down here, compete at a high level, and finally get that first victory – it shows the progress we're making.” Amari Samuel led the Cruisers with 16 points, scoring 12 in the second half, while Carter Taylor and Michael Stogsdill each added 7 points. Lowell McWright and Nate Goode chipped in 5 points apiece, with Goode pulling down a crucial
12 rebounds. Jeremy Osborn Jr. and Colton Herbrand rounded out the scoring with 2 points each. The win followed a pair of tough losses to open the tournament. Eatonville's first-round matchup against Arete Prep saw the Cruisers struggle to keep pace, falling 61-48. The loss dropped them into the consolation bracket, where they faced the Fountain
Hills Falcons. Against Fountain Hills, the Cruisers jumped out to an early 9-4 lead after the first quarter. A 5-2 run extended their lead to 14-6, but a late 6-0 surge by the Falcons cut the margin to 19-15 at halftime. Eatonville maintained a narrow lead entering the fourth
BOYS, 4
Lady Cruisers battle to 3rd place in Coyote Invitational By Skip Smith Contributing Writer
COURTESY KAHLA HALL
The Eatonville Cruiser girls basketball team poses proudly after securing a third-place finish at the Coyote Basketball Invitational in Phoenix, AZ for the second year in a row.
The Eatonville Cruisers girls basketball team weathered foul trouble and a late surge by Payson High School to secure a 30-23 victory in the third-place game of the Coyote Invitational Basketball Tournament on Jan. 4. The win marked the second consecutive year the Cruisers brought home a third-place trophy from the Arizona-based tournament. Eatonville jumped out to a commanding lead early, forcing five Payson turnovers in the first quarter and capitalizing with an 8-0 run to lead 14-5. The defensive intensity continued into the second quarter as the Cruisers held the Longhorns scoreless for nearly five minutes. By halftime, Eatonville led 25-6, fueled by 13 forced turnovers in the first half. However, foul trouble threatened Eatonville’s grip on the game in the second half. Star guard Bailey Andersen and forward Lillian Bickford were both saddled with four fouls by the end of the third quarter, allowing Payson to chip away at the lead. Andersen fouled out with 4:53 remaining in the game, and Bickford followed shortly after at the 3:43 mark. To compound the challenges, Tia Schanbeck was sidelined with an injury suffered in the second quarter. Despite being outscored 15-4 in the fourth quarter, the Cruisers held off the Longhorns'
comeback bid. “The girls showed resilience,” said Eatonville head coach Deanna Andersen. “We faced adversity with foul trouble and injuries, but they fought through it. I’m incredibly proud of their perseverance.” The path to the third-place game saw Eatonville take on tough competition. In the tournament opener, the Cruisers battled the Yuma Catholic Shamrocks in a tightly contested matchup. After trailing 12-9 at the end of the first quarter, Eatonville surged ahead with an 11-0 run to close the first half, leading 26-21 at the break. Yuma responded with a 13-0 run in the third quarter, reclaiming the lead at 31-28. But the Cruisers, led by Bailey Andersen’s season-high 19 points in her return from a wrist injury, orchestrated an 8-0 run in the fourth to seal a 49-46 victory. “We came out slow but settled in and played our game,” Coach Andersen said. “Morgan Liard had her best game to date and really stepped up for us.” In the quarterfinals, Eatonville cruised to a dominant 55-26 win over Northwest Christian, with Andersen pouring in 24 points. That victory set up a semifinal showdown against the tournament host, Arizona Lutheran. Eatonville led 32-28 entering the fourth quarter, but Arizona Lutheran mounted
GIRLS, 4