GALT, CA (MPG) - In a thrilling showdown at the Golden 1 Center, the Liberty Ranch girls’ basketball team etched their name into the history books by clinching their first-ever section title, defeating the Riverbank Bears 55-50 on Saturday, March 1. This monumental victory marked a significant milestone for the Hawks and their dedicated fans.

Seeded No. 1 in the section, Liberty Ranch faced a tenacious Riverbank squad that played with relentless energy and aggression. Despite only tallying 11 fouls compared to the Bears’ 22, the Hawks managed to maintain composure throughout the contest, relying on their strategic playmaking and teamwork.

The game commenced with a captivating rendition of the national anthem by Liberty Ranch senior Paityn Snow, setting the tone for an electrifying matchup. After a competitive first quarter that ended in a 17-17 tie, the Hawks began to pull away, going into halftime with a 32-26 lead.

Haley Smith emerged as an early standout player, displaying her dominance on the court by scoring 22 of those 32 points, including an impressive shooting percentage of 60%. By the end of the third quarter, Liberty Ranch held a firm grip on the game with a 43-36 lead.

However, the Bears refused to back down. With just under three minutes remaining, they cut the Hawks’ lead to 49-44. But Liberty Ranch’s defense held strong, and with 42 seconds left, the score stood at 52-44. In a desperate move, the Bears landed a 3-pointer, but the Hawks answered back, with Kendall Duryee sinking a crucial 3-pointer of her own to seal the victory.

Smith finished the game with a total of 26 points, contributing significantly with 14 points coming from free throws, along with eight rebounds. Kendall Duryee added nine points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Kamryn Blevins matched her with nine points and impressive rebounding skills. Other crucial contributions came from Madisyn Robbins (five points, seven rebounds) and Summer McCoy (four points, five rebounds).

“I can’t describe how incredible this feels,” Smith said, beaming with pride after the victory. “Winning the section title with this team was one of the greatest feelings I have ever experienced. Our motto this season has been ‘Win the Day!’ and it has really paid off.  For us to now be 29-2 with a 27-game win streak shows all the hard work we have put in.” Smith also expressed her happiness at following in her brother’s footsteps, who helped the boys’ team win their first section title three years ago.

Head Coach Josh Williams reflected on the momentous victory, noting the irony in securing the title with the girls after years of striving for the same with the boys.

“It’s very ironic,” he said. “We had many opportunities with the boys, and I often wondered why we didn’t win one of those. I have always believed it would happen when my daughter was part of the team, and now, she’s here as a freshman. It’s a wonderful thing, and a testament to the hard work of these girls.”

The path to this victory wasn’t without struggles, as Kamryn Blevins fought through physical defenses and Summer McCoy faced tough assignments guarding Riverbank’s top scorers. 

“This was the toughest assignment I’ve had,” McCoy remarked, acknowledging the challenge presented by her opponent.

With the section title secured, the Hawks are not resting on their laurels. They have also earned the number one seed in the Division Four state playoffs and kicked off their postseason with a narrow 41-37 victory over Colusa on March 4. 

The Hawks are set to face San Francisco’s Lowell Cardinals in the next round on March 6 (after press time), with hopes high for further success.