Every match between little Lady Cougars and Eagles was a dogfight.

For the second time this winter, a basketball game between Wallowa Junior High School girls and Joseph’s team went down to its final play. Back on Jan. 15, the Cougars squandered an eight-point lead but escaped the Eagles’ court in Joseph with a 20-19 victory. At a rematch, Feb. 5 in Wallowa, the visitors managed to tie the score in the final minutes. But the Cougars’ Morgan Waters tallied the deciding basket and the home team pulled out another win, 17-14.

Waters hit the big shot shortly after she returned to action from an ankle injury. The hard-fought game took its toll on both rosters. Joseph’s Breeanna Gibson chased a loose ball, only to crash into the bleachers. She spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench, icing her bruised right knee. Waters twisted her ankle fighting for a rebound and slowly limped off the court. But in the end, she had a game-high eight points. Several teammates contributed. Alex Chrisman chipped in four points, Shai Allen two, Sara Johnson two and Effie Burns one.

Joseph’s Sidney Cooney led the Eagles, as she netted seven points. Gibson put up two points, Carsen Sajonina two, Noel Taylor two and Hannah Schaafsma one.

Once again, the Eagles had to come from behind. In the second quarter, the Cougars had already jumped out to a 10-2 lead. But Cooney sparked Joseph with her basket from beyond the three-point arc. Gibson followed with a lay-up. After Wallowa scored, Sajonia sank a jump shot and Schaafsma added a foul shot. The Cougars managed another basket, but Cooney answered with a long jumper. Then, Taylor converted a pair of free throws for a 14-14 tie.

Just over a minute remained when Waters recaptured the lead as she swished a jump shot. Later, Burns added a point from the free-throw line.

The deciding basket capped Waters’ outstanding evening. Earlier in the doubleheader, she had scored 10 points in the Cougars’ 23-16 victory. Chrisman posted four points, Taylor Harshfield two, Madison Lindsey two, Allen two, Kristen Young two and Emily Spang one.

Wallowa took over the game in the third quarter. Soon after halftime, the Eagles held a 10-8 edge. But before they would score again, the Cougars converted 13 points. Chrisman gave them their first lead of the game. She grabbed an offensive rebound and banked a second chance. On back-to-back plays, Waters outraced defenders for a couple of running lay-ups. Spang made a foul shot. Then, Lindsey began the fourth quarter by making a jumper. Waters added another lay-up to go ahead, 21-10.

Felicity Gossman finally ended Joseph’s scoring drought by converting a pair of foul shots. She totaled four points. Shayna Cooper’s six points led the Eagles. Three teammates – Karianne Zollman, Schaafsma and Taylor – each accounted for two points apiece.