It’s time for the holidays, and for the valiant Lady Wildcats of

Mount Si Christmas and New Year’s probably couldn’t come fast enough.

Whatever else Santa might have brought the team, last week’s non-league losses

to 4A Enumclaw and Garfield put the `Cats into the holiday break with a

2-7 record.

Monday night, Dec. 20, the team traveled to Enumclaw to face the

5-0 Hornets on their home court. The Hornets took advantage of 31

turnovers and a stingy defense to put Mount Si away by a 64-43 margin.

Junior Moriah Hover had her best game of the year, draining 16

points. However, 13 of her points came in the first two frames and in the second

half the Hornets effectively shut her down. Jessii Raisio finished with eight

points, while teammates Nicci Landdeck and Lindsay Ratcliffe dropped seven

and six respectively.

On the plus side, Mount Si again held a game close through the

half, limiting their opponents from the South Puget Sound League to a

31-23 lead. Unfortunately, the Hornets hammered their guests 17-9 in the

third quarter to ice the win.

The following night the Lady `Cats returned home to face Garfield.

The Bulldogs had finished last season’s KingCo 4A schedule with a

2-11/5-15 record, but they returned their entire starting lineup for this year’s

campaign. The Dogs’ experience showed, as they dominated Mount Si 47-30.

Poor shooting ultimately doomed the Wildcats, who were held to

single-digit scoring in each of their four quarters. Garfield rang up 15 points

to Mount Si’s 6 in the second to take a 27-15 lead into the locker room,

and the `Cats never recovered.

Ratcliffe led the Mount Si scoring with 11 points. Hover had

another good night, recording eight points and 12 rebounds, while Raisio,

Landdeck and Kristen Travis each notched four.

The team will resume KingCo 3A play on Wednesday, Jan. 5, with

an away game at 1-2/3-2 Interlake. The Wildcats will host 0-3/2-3

Cedarcrest on Friday, Jan. 7.