Bainbridge girls fall to PA in battle of top 2 OL teams
Published 1:30 am Thursday, January 8, 2026
The Bainbridge Spartans girls basketball team came up short in a battle of the top two Olympic League teams, falling to Port Angeles 51-36 at home Jan. 7.
With the loss, the Spartans are now 6-5 overall and 4-1 in the OL, while the win puts the Roughriders at 6-5 overall and 4-0 in the OL.
“It [was] the biggest game of the season,” Bainbridge coach Zach Burnham said. “(That) team that beat us in the district championship last year, it was kind of a revenge game.”
The Spartans got out to a fast start, tallying seven points before PA could score any points of their own at the beginning of the first quarter. Bainbridge implemented a full-court press in the first, attempting to stymie PA and maintain their lead.
Spartan Kaela Cole drained a three-pointer late in the first, giving Bainbridge a 17-12 lead going into the second quarter. Ada Reitz eventually pushed the Spartans to a double-digit lead at 24-14 with less than a minute remaining before halftime. Reitz led the Spartans with eight at halftime.
Spartan Elsa Drugge drilled a three-pointer to start the second half, giving the Spartans their largest lead of the game at 30-16. Nonetheless, PA was able to cut back into the lead through three-pointers and contested layups, capitalizing on Bainbridge turnovers over the middle of the court and shrinking their deficit to three with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter.
The Roughriders continued to capitalize on turnovers in the third, eventually taking the lead for the first time all game at 34-32. Drugge tied the game back up at 34 apiece via free throws to end the third period.
PA took the lead back with a three-pointer at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Reitz was able to get the deficit back down to one possession with a contested layup at 38-36.
The Spartans’ shots continued to miss, and Bainbridge found themselves in foul trouble late in the fourth, struggling to find the momentum they had in the first half. PA eventually got their lead out to double digits at 47-36.
“It’s a pretty frustrating loss, especially coming into that first half with a bunch of energy,” Spartan Anna Rowe said. “Them hitting those shots [in the second half] definitely brought our energy down.”
Burnham added, “Teams are going to give us their best, and that’s what I expected PA to do, and that’s what I expect everybody else to do in the Olympic League.”
