Pirates lose opener to Orofino
The Prairie Pirates lost a tight one to Orofino 43-46 in their season opener at Cottonwood Monday, Dec. 1.
Prairie was missing a couple of likely starters as Nate Forsmann and Phil Schwartz didn’t have enough practices due to a trip to Rome last week. Levi Gehring was also on that trip but was eligible because football players making the state playoffs were exempt from the 10-practice rule. Forsmann and Schwartz are expected to be eligible for the Idaho County Shootout this Friday at Grangeville.
Orofino scored first but Prairie took the lead on a 3 from the corner by Max Rehder.
Orofino then scored 10 straight points to take a 3-12 lead.
Patrick Schlader, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, scored his first points as a Pirates after grabbing a defensive rebound and going the length of the floor for a lay-up.
Orofino answered but Riley Shears scored to make it 7-14. After another Orofino basket, Shears made a free throw and Rehder added a basket to make it 10-16 at the end of the first quarter.
Chase VonBargen opened the second quarter scoring with a free throw then Orofino scored 4 straight for an 11-20 lead.
Shears then got Prairie back in the game with a pair of 3’s to make it 17-20. After an Orofino free throw, Shears hit another 3 to pull the Pirates within 1 at 20-21.
Orofino then finished the half with a 2-8 run where Schlader scored Prairie only points. Prairie trailed 22-29 at the half.
Orofino scored a free throw to open the third quarter then it was Schlader’s turn to get hot from long distance. Schlader sank back to back 3’s to make it 28-30. He then tied it with a pair of free throws.
Orofino scored a free throw and a 3 to push the lead back to 4. Shears scored on a tip-in then Orofino added 2 more throws.
Another tip-in by Shears was answered by 2 Orofino free throws. Shears then sank his fourth 3 of the game to cut the lead to 1. Schlader then scored on a lay-up with 59 seconds left to give Prairie their first lead since it was 3-2 at 39-38. That was the score at the end of the third quarter.
A lay-up by Schlader and a 15 foot shot by Kade Quintal gave Prairie a 43-38 lead with 5:43 to play.
Unfortunately Prairie didn’t score another point as they went ice-cold, missing their final 8 shots from the field.
Orofino finished the game on a 0-8 run, taking the lead for good on a basket with 4:04 to play.
They added a putback with 3:09 left for the final points of the game.
Shears wound up with 19 points to lead all scorers while Schlader added 16. Rehder scored 5, Quintal 2 and VonBargen 1.
Orofino had a 36-37 edge on the boards. Shears and Schlader both had double-doubles as Shears had 14 rebounds and Schlader had 11.
Gehring had 2 steals. Shears, Schlader and Quintal each had 3 assists.
Prairie was 16 for 51 from the field, 31%, and 4 for 9 at the line, 44%. Orofino was 16 for 47 from the field, 34%, and 10 for 16 from the line, 63%.
The JV team won their game 48-31.
Prairie’s first points came after Cooper Riener stole the ball and scored a lay-up. Orofino answered to tie it. Prairie then scored 6 straight to take an 8-2 lead by the end of the first quarter. Anthony Forsmann, Riener and Gabe Severns each scored a basket.
Prairie then scored the first 6 of the second quarter for a 14-2 lead. Forsmann scored 2, free throws and added a lay-up. Riener then scored a basket to finish the run.
Orofino scored 4 straight but Prairie answered with a basket each by Severns and Sam Rehdder to make it 18-6.
Orofino scored the final 4 points of the half to make it 18-10.
Phineas Fitch scored to open the second half but Orofino answered. Prairie then scored 10 straight to take a 30-12 lead into the fourth quarter.
Forsmann started the run with a steal and lay-up. Severns then scored a basket and a free throw. Schlader scored a free throw then Rehder scored a lay-up after a steal by Forsmann. Forsmann closed out the quarter with 2 free throws.
Orofino opened the fourth quarter with a 6-12 run to get within 12 at 36-24. Isaiah Warren, Matt Frei and Fitch each scored a basket for Prairie in that run.
Prairie then scored 5 straight, all by Austin Labrum as he scored a basket and then converted a 3-point play to make it 41-24 with 3:55 to play.
Each team scored 7 points from there on. Forsmann scored on a putback and then converted a 3-point play before fouling out. After 4 straight by Orofino, Rehder scored the game’s final points on a lay-up.
Forsmann wound up with 16 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. Labrum and Severns each scored 7. Riener and Rehder each scored 6 while Fitch scored 4 and Warren and Frei scored 2 each.
The JVs had a 43-28 rebounding edge. Riener had 15 to lead the team.
Forsmann had 5 steals and Rehder and Riener each had 3 assists.
Prairie was 17 for 57 from the field, 30%, and 8 for 15 at the line, 53%. Orofino was 12 for 39 from the field, 31%, and 7 for 19 at the line, 37%.
Prairie   10 12 17 4 -43
Orofino 16 13   9 8 -46
Prairie-Quintal 1-10, 0-2, 2; Shears 7-16, 1-2, 19; VonBargen 0-3, 1-3, 1; Rehder 2-6, 0-0, 5; Schlader 6-14, 2-2, 16; Gehring 0-2, 0-0, 0; Armbrust 0-0, 0-0, 0; Enneking 0-0, 0-0, 0. 3-pointers-Shears 4, Schlader 2, Rehder.
Orofino-Runia 0-4, 3-4, 3; Bonner 5-10, 1-4, 11; Connolly 1-4, 0-0, 2; Barlow 2-11, 4-6, 10; Naranjo 5-12, 0-0, 12; Tondevold 1-2, 0-0, 2; Schneider 2-4, 2-2, 6; Cochran 0-1, 0-0, 0. 3-pointers-Naranjo 2, Barlow 2.

 
Patrick Schlader scored 16 points in his first action with the Prairie team after sitting out last season with a knee injury.

Chase VonBargen puts up a shot from the corner against Orofino. He was wearing #30 because he got blood on his usual #5 in a first quarter incident. Also shown is Riley Shears.

Jackson Enneking looks to pass against Orofino.

Kade Quintal watches the ball after putting up a shot.

Levi Gehring shoots for 3 against Orofino.

Max Rehder puts up a shot from the side.