STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

More Youth Sports

• Competition stiff for Charter School runners
• Charter boys run to second title
• Time brings success to Charter soccer

Share and Enjoy [?]

The Marco Island Charter Middle School Eagles varsity basketball teams won both games when they hosted the Manatee Middle School Hurricanes in Collier County League play on Saturday.

The Lady Eagles crushed the Hurricanes, 31-9, while the boys pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 44-34.

The Lady Eagles ran circles around the Hurricanes, holding them to just one point in the first half.

“The girls varsity had a well balanced scoring attack against Manatee,” said coach Craig Fisher. “What really won the game for us was our pressure defense. Unfortunately, we were cold from the field again, missing a lot of easy shots.”

The Lady Eagles spread the scoring around, with Sarah Downey leading them with nine points. Mary Gibler added five points, while Lisa Feola, Marissa Anguilano, Jenna Lundquist, Katie Hogan, Taylor Bell, and Farrah Waldren also scored.”

The boys game was much closer. The Hurricanes were tough competitors, and the game could have gone either way.

“Manatee beat us last time. This time they came out stronger, but unlike last time, they got behind,” said coach Roger Raymond.

Manatee led 10-7 after the first quarter, but an Eagles rally put the Charter School ahead by six points at half time.

“Manatee is a very athletic team, especially in rebounding, blocking, and they make good passes,” Raymond said. “In the second half, they lost focus, got it back, but lost the game by 10 points.”

Raymond was pleased with the play of his players.

“Cooper Fulcher had a good game,” Raymond said. “Kyle Adams rebounded well. The seventh graders are really stepping up.”

“Eighth graders Matt Browne and Kit Fowler led the team in scoring, tallying 36 of the team’s 44 points.

Browne said, “Before the game, Kit and I challenged each other to see who could go over 20 points.”

Browne tossed in 20 points, while Fowler added 16. Both have had season highs of 20 points.

“Matt Browne and Kit Fowler are good athletes,” Raymond said. “When they play within their abilities, they do very well, as was seen in the last two quarters of the last two games.”

The Eagles travel to First Baptist Academy (FBA) in Naples on Thursday, with the girls playing at 6 and the boys at 7 p.m.

The last time the boys faced FBA it was a thrilling game, with the Eagles winning in double overtime.

“Here we are again, so let’s go,” Raymond said. “The next two games will be difficult.”

Following Thursday’s game the Eagles play Golden Gate on Saturday in another county league contest.

Browne said, “As far as FBA, they’re looking to get us back, so we can’t take it easy. We have to take it to them.”

Raymond likes the way his team is playing.

“We are playing better as the season goes along,” he said. “We better be ready (against Golden Gate) because we may get a chance to go to the county tournament,” Raymond said. “We feel we can beat Golden Gate.”