Lady Cruiser's 2018-19 season comes to an end, Coach Driggs bids farewell

After dropping their opening round game in the West Central District III tournament to Franklin Pierce, the Lady Cruisers were looking to battle their way to the regionals via the consolation bracket. 

After winter weather postponed their game, the team was finally able play on Friday, Feb. 15. The Lady Cruisers traveled to Sumner High School and took on the Sequim Wolves in a loser-out game.

The Cruisers jumped to a 15-6 lead after the first quarter of play thanks to the 7 points scored by freshman Hailey Rath. 

Sequim made a few adjustments and battled back. The Wolves clamped down on the Cruisers defensively and they outscored Eatonville 15-4 in the second quarter, taking a 21-19 lead into the locker room at the half.

The Wolves defense continued to cause the Cruisers fits for the rest of the game as they built an 11-point lead before the third quarter came to a close. 

The Cruisers tried their best to slow down the Sequim offense and close the gap, but they were unsuccessful. Sequim won the game 63-43. Rath led the Cruisers in scoring with 12 points.

This loss eliminated the Cruisers from district play and ended their season.  They finished the season with an overall record of 11 wins and 14 losses.

“The girls gave it everything they had on Friday night which is all you can ask for as a coach," Head Coach Dereck Driggs said. "We had inspirational efforts from the freshman, Hailey Rath and senior Jaelin Hotz. We could just never get the outside shot to fall which ended up being the difference maker. Give credit to Sequim for their great defensive effort and relentless pursuit on the boards. With Friday night being the final game for our four seniors and for myself as the head coach, it was very emotional.”

Driggs, after his second season as head coach, has accepted a promotion at his day job and will be moving to Hawaii in March.  Driggs was 26-24 overall as the Cruisers Head Coach and led the team to the district tournament in both seasons while at the helm.

“I have been truly blessed by the young ladies that have been a part of our program," he said. "They, as well as my coaching staff, will always be family. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Lisa Wolfe, Gavin Kralik and Mark Swartout for their unwavering support. It has truly been an honor to serve as head coach of the Eatonville Lady Cruisers these past two seasons. I hope our future Lady Cruisers will remember what our players and coaches committed to over the last two years, 'We fight together, we win together, we lose together, we stay together.'"