Girls basketball: Fort Vancouver 40, Hudson’s Bay 36

The Fort Vancouver girls basketball team walked off the court a winner Tuesday night.

Been a long, long time since that happened.

“This is big-time for us,” said Yimei Kerr, who led the Trappers with 12 points and had the basket that started a fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Hudson’s Bay Eagles. “This is just wonderful.”

Emily Hengstler, Esmeralda Espinoza and Devyn Tilley combined to make 5 of 6 free throws in the final 78 seconds, giving Fort Vancouver a 40-36 victory. The Trappers did not win a game last season.

“Bay is our rival. Everybody wanted to win so badly,” Kerr said. “We had the heart to win this game.”

The Trappers also were clutch.

The Eagles, who trailed most of a close game, took a four-point lead with a little less than four minutes to play before the Trappers got their winning mojo going for them.

Kerr, who also had five steals, scored to make it 35-33. Tilley, who led the team with 10 rebounds, got a shot to fall to tie it with 2:18 to play.

A free throw from Jade McDonald gave the Eagles the lead at 36-35, but then the Trappers suddently got hot from the line. They were 9 for 27 from the stripe until Hengstler swished her two shots with 1:18 to play, giving Fort the lead for good.

The Trapper defense allowed one point in the final 3 minutes, 42 seconds.

Molly Deleo and Tilley each scored eight points for Fort.

Sierra Jones and Kim Nguyen each had 10 points for Hudson’s Bay, which showed considerable improvement after its loss to Heritage on Monday night. Nguyen added six steals and Jones had four. Jones also chased down 10 rebounds.

FORT VANCOUVER 40, HUDSON’S BAY 36

FORT VANCOUVER — Molly Deleo 8, Yimei Kerr 12, Devyn Tilley 8, Emily Hengstler 2, Sydney Brugman 1, Esmeralda Espinoza 7, Jocelyn Salavea 0, Katy Parker 1, Jhoana Hernandez 1. Totals 12-55 (2-15) 14-33 40.

HUDSON’S BAY — Jade McDonald 3, Sierra Jones 10, Ariel Rutherford 2, Erykah Weems 4, Kim Nguyen 10, Tupo Vaenuku 1, Emily Henderson 2, Kezia Grady 2, Sol Valenzuela 2. Totals 14-45 (0-5) 8-23 36.

Ft. Vanc. 14 5 8 13—40

Hud. Bay 7 10 8 11—36