The Cosumnes River College women’s basketball season came to an end after a loss to Foothill College on Feb. 29.

The Hawks finished the season with a 21-8 overall record, made it to the third round of the Northern California regional playoffs and finished second in the Big 8 Conference.

“This was the best season I have had since I’ve been here,” head coach Coral Sage said.

The Hawks closed the book on its 2012 season, as the team contended for the conference championship all the way up to the final game of the regular season. Although they didn’t come home with the top spot, their second place finish is their best ever in conference.

They were able to play and win at a high level despite injuries to players such as appendicitis, a broken wrist and multiple sprained ankles.

“No matter what came up, we just kept moving forward,” Sage said.

The season held many memorable moments but was highlighted by a 60-59 win at the buzzer on Jan. 27 against fifth ranked Santa Rosa.

“Beating Santa Rosa was a first for CRC women’s basketball,” freshman forward Nikki Gordon said.  “We were down by two and Natalia Gibson hit the game-winning three-point shot.”

Gordon added that a bar was definitely set for next season as the team continues to improve each year.

“Last year the Hawks made it to the second round [of the playoffs]. This year we made it to the third round, and next year we hope to make it even further,” she said.

One key asset to the Hawks success this year was the production of sophomore guard Andraquay Quinnine.

The California Community College Athletics Association named her to Second Team All-State.  In addition, Quinnine was also named CRC’s Student-Athlete of the Month in November.

Quinnine’s teammate, sophomore forward Natalia Gibson, also received the Student-Athlete of the Month honor in January. She averaged 13 points and nine rebounds during the month.

Although the season is over and a new crop of players will come and go, Sage said this season will go down as one of the Hawks’ best too.

“Finishing second in the Big 8, a 21-8 record and third round of the state playoffs, this in itself speaks for what we did this year,” she said.