Central Kitsap has no answers for Stordahl, Marysville-Pilchuck in 63-48 state loss
Once Marysville-Pilchuck forward Cameron Stordahl heated up in the second half against Central Kitsap in the opening round of the Class 3A state tournament in the Tacoma Dome, the Tomahawks didn’t look back. Stordahl hit back-to-back threes to give his team a 43-28 lead at the end of the third quarter and that’s all the Tomahawks would need, riding out the cushion to a 63-48 win to advance to tomorrow’s quarterfinals against Garfield.
“My teammates were finding me, I was getting to the open spot, getting through,” said Stordahl, who finished with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 from behind the arc. “I think my driving really opened up my 3-pointers in the second half. So I just got that and got to my game.”
For Central Kitsap, Colby White led the Cougars with 17 points, but Central Kitsap didn’t have much luck dissecting Pilchuck’s 2-3 matchup zone.
“They’re a very good team,” said Central Kitsap coach Scott McMinds. They can switch off and it doesn’t matter — they can switch their bigs off onto our guards and it doesn’t matter. Their length and strength, they’re able to do that pretty effectively. So I just give a lot of credit to their defense.”
And when Stordahl connected on back-to-back 3-pointers, it made Central Kitsap’s comeback bid an even tougher uphill climb.
“Those are backbreakers,” McMinds said. “You’re trying to make a run and then all the sudden they hit two threes. It was a tough game. They’re a good team. We knew that coming in.”
The Tacoma Dome appearance marked Central Kitsap’s first trip to the state tournament since 2004.
“I’m just proud of the kids, super proud of all the effort they put in,” McMinds said. “We have a lot to build on. We know what it takes now. We just have to do the hard work in the offseason.”
Marysville-Pilchuck, meanwhile, advances to a quarterfinal matchup with 3A Metro power Garfield on Thursday at 9 a.m.
“I’m excited,” Stordahl said. “We just have to lay it all out there. We can beat them, so let’s just go for it.”
