Okarche sweeps Am-Po as playoffs loom

Madison Owens scored eight points in the fourth quarter to help Okarche lasso its eighth straight win.

Owens did much of her damage in the final frame at the free throw line, making 6 of 8 attempts to help the Lady Warriors pull away from Amber-Pocasset in a 52-45 home win.

The victory upped Okarche’s mark to 19-5. It hasn’t lost since the semifinals of the Three Rivers Conference Tournament last month.

The Lady Warriors hosted Cashion in their season finale Tuesday night (after press time).

Owens and Karsyn Vallerand helped spark Okarche to a 29-21 halftime lead.

Vallerand scored seven and Owens five in the second quarter.

But that advantage largely disappeared when Am-Po went on a 15-8 run in the third quarter.

Okarche extended its lead by making 9 of 13 free throws in the fourth.

Reagan Robinson was 3 of 4.

Owens led the team with 15 points.

Rachel McDowell scored nine points while Robinson and Vallerand had eight apiece.

All five of Okarche’s starters scored at least five points.

Okarche boys bury Am-Po

under barrage of shots

If nothing else, Okarche beat Amber-Pocasset with quantity.

The Warriors took nearly twice as many shots as their guests in a 66-40 win at home last Friday night.

Okarche was 22 of 64 from the field. While only a touch over 34 percent, the Warriors limited the Panthers to 33 field goal attempts for the game.

That led to Okarche’s fifth straight win as it prepared to close out its regular season Tuesday (after press time) against Cashion in the Three Rivers Conference finale.

Okarche entered that game with a 19-5 record.

Am-Po limited Okarche in the first quarter, but the Warriors dominated the final three.

Down 10-8, Okarche outscored the Panthers 17-7 in the second quarter and then 22-12 in the third.

Cris Avila led the charge with 22 points.

Okarche also got 12 points and seven rebounds from Lathen Stover and 11 points from Kaleb Harris.

Okarche forced 33 turnovers and scored 34 points off those turnovers. Am-Po turned Okarche’s 15 turnovers into just eight points.