CASPER – It was not the finish the Green River Lady Wolves wanted, but the most important thing is they are going to state.
The ladies will enter next weekend’s state championships in the fourth seed from the West after losing to Evanston on Saturday, 53-46. Green River made it interesting late as they entered the final period trailing by five. In every game this season, the Lady Red Devils have had a five-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Each time Green River would erase the lead and it was the same on Saturday as Emily White had the ladies within two late. In each game, Evanston has been solid from the charity stripe. They finished the final period going 14 of 15 from the foul line to finish with the win.
The Lady Wolves found the range early and a Taylor Stoeger three had Green River up early, 8-2. Emily White also added points late in the first. The Lady Red Devils matched and only trailed by four after one, 10-6.
Evanston opened the second quarter on a 10-2 run to take the lead. The only bucket during the run for GRHS came from Lauressa Tramp. Lady Wolves Andri Dewey and Mallory Seymour scored four straight to even the game at 16. Evanston scored the final three of the half to take a 19-16 lead at the break.
Evanston came out of the locker room firing and, at points, it looked like they would run away with it. The Lady Red Devils opened on a 9-1 run to go up 28-17. Green River chipped away at the lead behind Dewey. She had a three-pointer and three free throws as the Lady Wolves trailed by five heading into the final period, 33-28.
Moriah Morin and Averee Cobb kept the Green River offense going to start the final quarter but Evanston would match them. As they have been in the past games, Evanston was clutch at the free-throw line. They went six of seven to extend the lead, 43-36.
Dewey continued to be key, pulling the Lady Wolves back to five. Evanston scored but GR responded. White converted a three-point play and stole the ball, converting two more. The White run had the ladies within two with 2:10 left, 47-45.
The ladies of Evanston ran the clock as less than a minute remained. Green River fouled and Evanston  continued to convert. White went one of two from the charity stripe to pull Green River back to three, but that was as close as they would get. The Lady Red Devils did not miss in the final minute from the charity stripe to take the win, 53-46.
