Lady Coyotes defeat Thunderbird JV

The Dodson Lady Coyotes (4-11) picked up their fourth win of the season after defeating Hays-Lodgepole's JV team in a close 45-43 finish. The team will face Frazer in Dodson this Friday for the team's Senior Night. They will then go to Lustre to face the Lustre Christian Lions on Saturday. The Lady Coyotes also lost a close game to Harlem's JV last Tuesday, February 2.

Both games will give Dodson a chance to avenge losses earlier in the season. The team lost 74-53 to Frazer and 59-37 to Lustre in January.

In the team's win against HLP's JV, the team was led by Kailee Henry who scored 28 points. Henry was 9 of 15 from the charity stripe and knocked down three treys. Henry shared the key to their victory.

"Just making our shots, running our plays, having team-work, good offense and defense," Henry told the PCN. "We kept our heads up the whole game."

Henry, who is an eighth grader has been thriving in her first season of high school ball, earning praise from many of her opponents. She also shined in junior high basketball, leading her team to the district championship a few months ago. She has grown since then, even though she's faced high school teams before.

"I was used to it because I've played high-schoolers in the summer in tournaments," Henry said. "That and watching my sister Janessa Henry play, I just wanted to be like her."

Shontelle Talks Different had seven points. Shawnee KillEagle had three points. Christina Jaynes and Kyla Racine had two points. Donna Dale, Tatyana Horn-Oats and Talyssa Horn-Oats each had one point.

The Lady Coyotes would jump out to a 17-11 lead after the end of the first quarter. It was a lead the team would hold until thirty seconds into the third quarter, when HLP's Max Kirkaldie knocked down a three pointer to put the Thunderbirds up 25-24.

The teams would go back and forth through the final two quarters. Dodson had a 35-32 lead at the end of the third. The teams continued to switch leads late into the fourth quarter and ultimately a few free throws from Tal. Horn-Oats and Henry would seal the game.

Tal. Horn-Oats shared what was going through her head at the time of her free throws and the key to their win.

"Just make the shot," Tal. Horn-Oats said. "Don't miss. I also knew we had to play good offense, have good teamwork and a good attitude."

With a couple of great defensive stops and a minute and a half game of keep away, Dodson was able to hold on for a 45-43 win. If the team had a late game MVP award, Tal. Horn-Oats would've earned it.

"I just came out ready to play, hoping to get the win," she said.

If she had a defensive co-mvp, it would've been Dale who nearly had a couple of clean block turnovers. Her aggressiveness on defense was great but many times calls didn't go her way.

"They were catching up with us and I didn't want them to win," Dale said. "I've wanted to beat this team for the longest time and we got them."

Dale and a few other Lady Coyotes have played on the same team with HLP players in previous years.

"I'm happy that we beat them," Dale said. "Hopefully we keep playing like we did these past couple of games. We need to keep up good defense, offense, reduce our turnovers and make good passes."

In the team's 35-33 loss to Harlem's JV, Dodson was led by Dale, Tal. Horn-Oats and Talks Different who each had eight points. Henry had five points and Jaynes had 4.