Bethany Montgomery didn’t come close to hoisting a spinning, throw-from-behind-her-head shot in Wilson High’s West Central District III opener against Auburn Mountainview.
She tried that Thursday’s and almost got kicked out of practice by fuming coach Michelle Birge.
“I like to goof around with Coach a lot, and when I do, I don’t think it’s serious,” Montgomery said. “But she got really mad and I was just like, ‘Oh.’
“She told me that she hasn’t watched a state championship team practice, but it’s definitely not like that.”
With focus and discipline, Birge believes that the fourth-ranked Rams can continue to play like they did in a 75-35 victory against Auburn Mountainview on Friday night at Clover Park High that gave them an automatic ticket to the regional tournament.
It’s hard to argue considering the domination Wilson has exhibited since its loss to No. 2 Cleveland on Jan. 21. The Rams have won seven straight by a combined score of 518-156 – an average of 74-22. But Birge isn’t satisfied.
“Our first goal is obviously to win a district championship, but then it’s to win the state championship,” she said. “Every coach says they want to win state, but I really think that is a realistic goal for this group.”
Lofty goals like that don’t leave much room for lackadaisical practices, as Montgomery learned.
“I really wanted to kick her out of practice,” Birge said. “That is the lack of self-discipline that can really hurt us. But I told her that, and she recognized it.”
The Rams clearly got the message, because they came out against Auburn Mountainview focused and sharp. They jumped out to a 23-7 first-quarter lead and led 49-18 at halftime.
“They are just that much better than us,” said Auburn Mountainview coach Chris Carr. “That’s the talent gap between us right there.”
Said Montgomery: “We just focus on the positive and how we are going to destroy everybody in league, which we did. Now we are in the postseason and we are going to destroy everybody here, and then we are going to go to state and we are going to destroy everybody there.”
Kelso 64, Lakes 60: The Lancers’ 10-point lead to start the fourth quarter didn’t stand up as Kelso scored 26 fourth-quarter points to earn an automatic berth into the regional tournament. Lakes’ senior Dericka Ware scored a game-high 22 points and Olivia Crawford added 15.
Enumclaw 59, Kennedy Catholic 42: Danielle Saltarelli scored 13 points, Jessica Snoen added 10, and the Hornets used a second-half surge to send the Lancers into the consolation bracket.
Prairie 66, Bonney Lake 33: The top-ranked Falcons cruised to an opening-round victory at Columbia River High School and advance to face Enumclaw today. Bonney Lake plays Kennedy Catholic.
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