Federal Way girls in the pink

They’re a little under the weather, but the Federal Way Eagles are a game away from a state title after a 48-45 come-from-behind win over Chiawana of Pasco in the Class 4A state girls basketball semifinals Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

And they’ll face a familiar foe in the championship game in Lewis and Clark of Spokane, a 47-43 winner over Woodinville in the other semifinal game.

Federal Way trailed 29-20 heading into the final quarter after failing to score a single point in the third quarter.

But Washington-bound forward Talia Walton and her teammates dug deep, mustering enough energy to mount an impressive comeback.

Walton said she and a couple of her teammates have been battling the energy-sapping flu in recent weeks.

“My entire body hurts,” the 6-foot-2 Walton said. “It’s aching, and I’m hot and cold at the same time. It just won’t go away, whatever it is. But I’ve been playing through it. Earlier this season I had bronchitis, and I played through that, too. So at this point, there’s nothing really that’s going to stop me from playing.”

Federal Way coach Danny Graham said, although Walton is sick, he’s been leaning on her by playing his go-to player for long stretches.

“She’s been throwing up a lot during the day, so we’re trying to keep her medicated and stuff like that,” he said. “But she’s been sucking it up. I keep her in there long minutes because she’s our horse. Defensively, she rebounds, blocks shots and takes away the whole middle. Without her we’re in big trouble.”

Federal Way (26-2) will play in the state championship game for the first time since the Eagles won the 1997 title. It’s Graham’s first trip as head coach.

Walton rebounded from a so-so performance in the quarterfinal game, finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Walton and Federal Way guard Brittany Barrington were the catalysts of the momentum-grabbing final quarter, with the Eagles outscoring the Riverhawks 28-16 to pull out a win. Barrington finished with a team-high 17 points and six rebounds, including 11 in the final quarter.

“I’m happy, but I’m not proud of how we played because we should have played better in the first half,” Barrington said. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m just happy we’re there, and I’m trying to win it all.”

Chiawana (23-4) coach Steve Davis said what the Eagles did different in the final quarter was finally get the ball inside and finish. Chiawana’s strategy had been to make the Eagles beat them from the perimeter, and it worked for most of the game.

“We got to the point where we were trying to protect a lead instead of continuing to play,” Davis said. “We let up, and they came at us full steam. And you can’t do that against a quality team like that.”

Lewis and Clark (19-6) will go for its fourth title in six years after turning up the defensive pressure in the second half and speeding past Woodinville (21-6).

Nakia Arquette led the Tigers with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while teammate Devyn Galland added 14 points.

Melissa Gilkey paced the Falcons with 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Graham said that the Eagles have some history against perennial state power Lewis and Clark, beating the Tigers the last two times the two teams have met, so Federal Way should not be intimidated.

“The last two years we’re 2-0 against them,” he said. “So our girls don’t have that mystique against them.”

Lewis and Clark coach Jim Redmon said he knows his team has to play well tonight.

“They’re a great team and they’ve been there,” Redmon said. “They’ve got two great players, and really good role players. It’s going to take some time tonight to figure out how we’re going to match up with them. But they’ve got the speed, and that’s going to be an interesting matchup for us.”