Northwest Closes Regular Season on 17-Game Win Streak

Danielle Garroutte’s motivation to make Quince Orchard’s senior night her own, and Katelyn Porter’s “extra birthday present” to herself assured the girls basketball team closed the regular season on a high note.

Garroutte scored a season-high 25 points, Porter finished with 16 and Northwest cruised to a 71-42 victory on Thursday night at Quince Orchard High School. The Jaguars (18-4) extended their win streak to 17 games and will own a top-three playoff seed, which comes with a first-round bye in the 4A West regional tournament.

“It’s a pretty big deal to us,” said Garroutte, a six-foot senior forward. “It makes our mark this year that much bigger. It’s been one heck of a season. Winning this last game and ending the regular season [strong] was really huge for us.”

Garroutte failed to score during Northwest’s senior night on Feb. 11 against Walter Johnson. Facing a Quince Orchard team celebrating its senior night, Garroutte buried four 3-pointers, all in the second half, and was a force in the paint.

“On my own senior night, I didn’t have any points,” said Garroutte, who will play at Slippery Rock University next season. “Being able to keep up my shooting and shooting my threes just feels really good.”

Porter also knocked down four 3-pointers. She scored 13 of Northwest’s first 25 points and her three-pointer in the opening minute of the second half was part of a 16-3 Jaguar run.

“We were definitely looking inside,” Porter said. “But once my shot was falling, I just decided to [keep] shooting.”

Porter’s strong perimeter performance came on her 18th birthday.

“I wish it was her birthday every playoff game," Northwest Coach Rob Smith said.

Northwest never trailed and led by as many as 32 points. Garroutte’s three-pointer with 2:47 remaining in the third quarter gave the Jaguars a 46-26 advantage. Quince Orchard answered with a three of its own, but Northwest scored the next 10 points and led by at least 19 the rest of the way.

Carla Batchelor scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Northwest. Camry Torian finished with six points, Kendra Meredith scored four and Hillavei Mensah added two.

Morgan Turner led Quince Orchard with 14 points. Leah Dagen finished with 11 points and Danielle Witherspoon added nine.

Northwest enters the postseason as one of the hottest teams in Montgomery County.

“We know [with] 17 [wins] in a row,” Smith said, “we’re going to have a target [on our backs].”