High school basketball: Results from South Sound programs in the regional round
SATURDAY (FEB. 25)
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A
NO. 9 UNION 60, NO. 16 SUMNER 47
Union’s Yanni Fassilis dropped 41 points, an unconquerable obstacle for Sumner in the opening round of the state tournament on Saturday.
The loser-out contest at Battle Ground High School eliminated the Spartans and sent the Titans back to the Tacoma Dome for an eighth straight season.
Fassilis, a senior forward and the GSHL Player of the Year, had 25 by halftime and 33 after three quarters.
Sumner pulled within two behind Kaden Kastberg, who opened the second half with consecutive threes. The senior forward drained four 3-pointers in the second half — per Meg Wochnick of The Columbian — fueling a late rally that ultimately fell short.
3A
NO. 10 BELLEVUE 64, NO. 15 AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW 35
Bellevue’s big first half propelled the Wolverines over the Lions on Saturday at Bellevue College.
The Wolverines outscored Auburn Mountainview by 17 points in the second quarter. Bellevue’s defense held the Lions to 20 points in the first three periods.
Bellevue’s win eliminated Auburn Mountainview and ensures a trip to the Tacoma Dome on March 1. The Wolverines meet No. 7 Timberline in the Round of 12 at 5:30 p.m.
NO. 16 SHORECREST 69, NO. 9 GIG HARBOR 60
Shorecrest trailed by double digits entering the final quarter, but outscored Gig Harbor, 29-10, over the final eight minutes to close out an upset win in Saturday night’s 3A state regionals contest at Tacoma Community College.
The Highlanders (17-6) move on to play No. 8 seed Rainier Beach — which lost to top-seeded Mount Spokane on Saturday night on the road — in an opening-round, loser-out game at 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Tacoma Dome.
The loss ends the season for the Tides (21-4).
For much of the contest, though, it seemed Gig Harbor would make it back-to-back trips to the tournament site after advancing to the quarterfinals last winter.
The Tides took their first and only lead on a Luke Browne 3-pointer at the 4:57 mark in the first quarter, and stayed in front until midway through the fourth.
For much of the game, each time Shorecrest started to shift the momentum, Gig Harbor answered with a basket, and the Tides pushed their lead as high as 14 late in the first half on a basket from Christian Parrish, who drew a foul on a driving layup and completed a three-point play with 46.7 seconds to go in the second quarter.
Gig Harbor eventually took a 34-22 lead into the half.
Shorecrest closed the gap to four three times midway through the third, but Gig Harbor consistently responded.
The Tides pushed the lead to 50-40 by the end of the quarter on a pair of baskets and a free throw from Will Landram. Landram added another bucket on the first possession of the fourth to make it 52-40, but then the Highlanders rallied with a 28-4 run to take a lead they never lost across the next seven minutes.
Anthony Najera scored 11 of his team-high 15 points during the final quarter, including sinking the Highlanders’ go-ahead 3-pointer on a sharp in-bounds pass from Darek Usitalo with 4:48 to play to make it 56-54.
Najera added another 3-pointer on Shorecrest’s next possession, and Parker Baumann hit another triple the possession after that as part of the Highlanders’ stunning run.
They pushed the lead as high as 12 with 30.6 seconds on a three-point play from Najera.
Landram scored Gig Harbor’s only points in the first seven-plus minutes of the fourth quarter — on a baseline dunk and a pair of free throws — as Shorecrest pulled away. Parrish added a couple of baskets inside the final 30 seconds, but Shorecrest had pushed the lead out of reach by then.
Keaine Silimon and Adarrius Hilliard each had 13 points for the Highlanders, and Silimon added nine rebounds. Baumann posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Landram and Parrish scored 22 points apiece to lead the Tides, while Browne added 12. Landram also completed a double-double with 10 boards, while Parrish added four and three assists.
NO. 14 NORTH THURSTON 51, NO. 11 WEST SEATTLE 34
A solid game from the Rams helped them secure their spot at the Tacoma Dome for the 3A boys basketball tournament.
Senior Than Tenkley led all scores with 16 points in the game, followed by junior Ray Adams with 12 to add on. Adams was key to North Thurston’s defensive efforts as well. Being one of the taller players at six-feet-six-inches tall, Adams has a bit of length.
And according to coach Mike Conner, it’s their length that sneaks up on opposing teams.
“We have a couple of players that are 6’6’‘ and above. [Adams] especially is like Stretch Armstrong. It just wore West Seattle down. Our guards contained the ball, and kept our bigs out of foul trouble,” he said. “We struggled early to get looks, and they contested shots… We never felt too comfortable, but we felt our defense was frustrating them enough that it would have to be a miracle to make a comeback.”
Another tall player taking advantage of the height difference was senior Julian Lee. Standing at 6’7”, Lee used his height to frustrate the West Seattle defense. Even though he scored seven points, Lee was a problem for the Wildcats.
The win sends North Thurston to take on No. 6 Mountlake Terrace at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the Tacoma Dome.
2A
No. 10 Enumclaw 49, No. 15 Ridgefield 33
Enumclaw jumped out to a big lead quickly in the first quarter of its 2A state tournament regional game against Ridgefield on Saturday afternoon at Auburn High School and never looked back, cruising to a 49-33 win.
Senior guard Noah Seabrands scored a team-high 14 points for the Hornets, while junior wing Karson Holt chipped in 11.
“We’ve got a lot of good shooters on our team,” Seabrands said. “Karson down low can post guys up and Carter DeRosier can nail threes whenever he wants to. We know our capabilities and we trust each other.”
Enumclaw clinched a spot in the 2A state tournament next week in the Yakima Valley SunDome with the win.
“It’s a huge deal, since we got to this point last year and lost,” Seabrands said. “We’re very grateful that we have this opportunity.”
Ridgefield senior forward Sid Bryant scored a game-high 15 points in the loss. Enumclaw will face No. 2 Anacortes at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday in Yakima.
NO. 11 TUMWATER 63, NO. 14 FOSS 48
In this battle of birds, it was Tumwater who came out victorious.
Thanks to great transition play, the T-Birds were able to run past the Falcons and score off of three players doing what they do best.
Senior Andrew Collins led his team in scoring with 18, all while getting good momentum towards the basket and getting layups through open lanes. Adding to that was fellow senior Luke Brewer, who had a knack for finding the basket from all over the floor to the tune of 15 points.
Finally, senior Gunnar Harroun got his 10 points the old fashion way by getting rebound putbacks to go his way.
“Winning is the best omen,” said coach Josh Wilson. “It doesn’t matter how you get there, as long as you win. I’m proud of our guys and happy to move on.”
The T-Birds will make their way to a matchup against Renton at 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
2B
No. 10 Chief Leschi 68, No. 5 La Conner 41
The Warriors have punched their ticket to the 2B state tournament in Spokane after routing La Conner at Auburn High School on Saturday morning. Brendon Brown scored a game-high 23 points for Chief Leschi, while Gaston Dillon added 15 for the Warriors. Isaiah Price and Braden Thomas scored 15 points apiece for La Conner in the loss.
Chief Leschi will play the loser of the Morton-White Pass vs. Northwest Christian (Colbert) game in the opening round of the 2B state tournament at Spokane Arena on Wednesday.
1B
NO. 12 SOUND CHRISTIAN 61, NO. 13 RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN 52
The Lions pulled away with less than two minutes to play in a 1B state regional loser-out contest that featured 23 lead changes and three ties Saturday morning at Tacoma Community College.
Eighth grader Michael Coffman hit the last of his four 3-pointers with 1:57 to play to give Sound Christian a two-possession lead, sophomore Makai Resseau sunk another triple on the Lions’ next possession to push the lead to 57-48 with 1:20 to go and the Lions closed out the win from there to punch their ticket to Spokane.
“We played with poise, and that’s something you talk about all year,” longtime Lions coach Rich Hamlin said. “You have to learn it and we had to experience not poise in a couple of our losses, and we learned our lesson. This was their test and they passed.
“Very, very pleased. Young team. No seniors. A joy to coach. Love to be in the gym, they love each other.”
Neither team led by more than four points Saturday afternoon until Kona Resseau gave the Lions a 49-43 lead on a driving layup with 4:19 to play, capping a 7-0 run that gave Sound Christian the lead for good three possessions earlier.
The Crusaders cut the lead as close as three with 2:23 to go on a basket from Haydn Edwards, but the Lions responded with the two key 3-pointers from Coffman and Makai Resseau and ended the game on a 10-4 run.
Kona Resseau led the Lions with 17 points and added five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Makai Ressea had 14 points, three rebounds and three assists, Coffman had 12 points — all on 3-pointers — and 6-foot-6 forward David Mesler completed a double-double with 10 points and 16 boards.
Edwards paced Riverside Christian with 17 points and added six rebounds, while Joel Belaire had 14 points and eight boards and Micah Rivera added 11 points and nine rebounds.
The Lions (22-4) advance to play the loser of Saturday afternoon’s contest between Moses Lake Christian and Willapa Valley in a first-round, loser-out game at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday in Spokane.
This is Sound Christian’s first trip to the tournament site since 2018, when the program placed sixth in the 1B bracket.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
4A
NO. 8 EMERALD RIDGE 67, NO. 1 WOODINVILLE 58
For most teams, knocking off the top seeded team would be a thing to be ecstatic about. Handing a team their first loss in over 20 games would be something to puff out their chest.
But for the Jaguars, it’s business as usual.
Coach Arvin Mosely has his team rolling heading into the Tacoma Dome, but Emerald Ridge isn’t letting their win over the Falcons get to their heads. No, they are too poised for that.
“The pace that we play at is uncomfortable for other teams. We are fast and the pressure got to Woodinville,” he said. “[Senior Monique Carter] is not pressured easily. Our team is so poised since we start three seniors. They rallied the troops and they held it together. Offensively, Monique came out aggressive. She got her good looks, she’s a good facilitator, and she took the ball and ran with it.”
Carter led all scorers with 23 points on the night. As much as she likes to distribute the ball to her teammates, it was her driving the basket and getting those open looks that helped spark her team past Woodinville.
Defense also played a big part in the Jaguars win also. Getting rebounds and finishing possessions gave Emerald Ridge the edge, and their speed wore down the Falcons by the end.
Behind Carter was junior Naomi Senato with 14 points, and senior Alina Sapilak scoring 12.
The Jaguars’ top three scorers combined for 49 points, just one more point than Woodinville’s top three. Junior Jaecy Eggers scored 20, senior Brooke Beresford scored 15, and freshman Jazlyn Wilkerson scored 13 for a combined total of 48 points.
The win gets Emerald Ridge a bye in the first round of the 4A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome. They will await the winner of the No. 7 Kamiakin-No. 10 Bothell matchup. The Jaguars will take the court again at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2 at the Tacoma Dome.
NO. 9 RICHLAND 49, NO. 16 OLYMPIA 39
Kylee Fox orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback, notching 17 of her game-high 27 points in the final period to help Richland advance past Olympia in the regional round.
The senior guard and Fresno State commit drained a pair of three-pointers in the final minutes, effectively a dagger to Olympia’s hope of reaching the Tacoma Dome.
“She’s a legit Division-I player,” Olympia coach Dustin Workman said, describing Fox’s heroic efforts. “She came up big for her team.”
The Bombers trailed by double-digits after the first quarter and chipped away for the remaining three. Richland trailed by five at halftime — and trailed by one after three quarters — before claiming its first lead in the fourth.
Olympia center Natalia McBride paced Bears scorers with 25. Senior guard Taylor Whaley posted six and sophomore guard Lauren Wolin added five.
“I think we punched them in the mouth a little bit,” Workman said. “They were surprised at how tough our girls were. I just thought we played tough, on offense and defense. We were tough with the ball, strong with the ball, and we rebounded well.
“We were right there.”
Richland advances to the Round of 12 in the Tacoma Dome but gets perhaps the toughest possible test on March 1: No. 1 Woodinville, the defending state champions. The Falcons were upset on Saturday night by No. 8 Emerald Ridge.
NO. 12 GONZAGA PREP 61, NO. 13 DECATUR 55
Bullpups guard Lucy Lynn dropped a team-high 17 points and pushed Gonzaga Prep over Decatur in Saturday’s regional round.
Saturday’s win books Gonzaga Prep’s ticket to the Tacoma Dome. Lynn, a senior, was one of four Bullpups to notch double-digits, per Dave Nichols of The Spokesman-Review.
Gonzaga Prep meets Sumner in the Round of 12 at the Tacoma Dome on March 1. Tip-off is set for 7:15 p.m. The winner advances to the 4A quarterfinals on March 2.
Decatur’s season ends a game shy of the Tacoma Dome. The Gators punched a ticket to the regional round in a winner-to-state, loser-out contest over Kentridge on Feb. 18.
3A
No. 9 Bonney Lake 59, No. 16 Kennewick 55
The Panthers are headed back to the 3A state tournament in the Tacoma Dome next week after beating Kennewick at Auburn High School on Saturday afternoon. Bonney Lake trailed early before ending the second quarter on a 10-2 run, sparked by the shooting of senior guard Emma Moore, who finished with 15 points. Junior center Jazmyn Shipp — a TNT All-Area selection last winter — led all scorers with 23 points.
“I’m just so proud of my team,” Shipp said. “We’ve overcome adversity in the offseason. We’ve been pushing each other, playing as well as we possibly can together. It was a total team effort. It wasn’t just one person. Everyone had a role. I was getting double teamed inside and could kick it out. I relied on my guards for threes and it was just a total game. Our defense has been saving us when our shots are off.”
Kennewick’s pressure gave Bonney Lake some issues early, but the Panthers eventually settled in.
“We just had to slow down, realize that we can control the tempo,” Shipp said. “They had a long drive here, we had 20 minutes. We just needed to go back to the basics, playing our fundamentals, playing good defense.”
Junior guard Haylee Johnson paced Kennewick with 15 points in the loss.
Bonney Lake will face No. 8 Meadowdale in the opening round of the 3A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
NO. 4 MEAD 80, NO. 5 LINCOLN 68
Although they kept it close for the first half of the game, the Abes’ defense couldn’t find its rhythm to hold down the Panthers.
Mead’s junior Teryn Gardner dropped 30 points against Lincoln, with freshman Addison Wells-Morrison chipping in 18 as well. Both players proved to be big headaches for coach Jamila Jones’ squad.
“We weathered the storm against Mead. We found some patience on offense and played hard, but both sides of the ball weren’t connected. We didn’t get our normal points in transition,” he said. “Our offensive execution needs to be better, and we need consistent rotations on defense. We got to find our shooters and box out. We’re undersized and we need to finish the possessions on defense.”
There was a bright spot for the Abes, however. Freshman Oliviyah Edwards was the offensive leader for Lincoln. The power forward came down with 20 points of her own, while crashing the boards and getting easy layups for those points.
The loss doesn’t send the Abes home, only to a matchup against No. 13 Everett at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the Tacoma Dome.
2A
No. 12 Enumclaw 58, No. 13 Columbia River 47
Columbia River was hanging around late in the fourth quarter against Enumclaw in a 2A state tournament regional round game on Saturday afternoon at Auburn High School.
Enumclaw senior Charlee Torgison put an end to any Columbia River comeback hopes, knocking down a stepback 3-pointer to give the Hornets an 11-point lead with four minutes to play. Enumclaw went on to win, 58-47, to secure a berth in next week’s 2A state tournament in Yakima.
“That’s my sweet spot, really,” Torgison said. “I knew, right as I created space, her hands were down and I knew I was going to hit that. You just have to believe in yourself.”
While Enumclaw still had to close out the win, it felt like a dagger.
“Our team feeds off our energy and our bench’s energy,” Torgison said. “When we hit threes, we go crazy. It just gets us so pumped to keep going and play good defense.”
This is Enumclaw’s first state tournament appearance since 2013. For Torgison and the Hornets’ senior class, it’ll be their first trip to the Yakima Valley SunDome.
“Just making it there means a lot to us,” Torgison said. “We’ve never been to the Dome. First time. I’m a senior this year, so it’s really special for me and all my senior teammates. It’s surreal.”
Junior post Bella Firnkoess added 10 points for Enumclaw. Columbia River was led by Emma Iniguez, who scored 12 points in the loss. Enumclaw will face Tumwater in Yakima at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
NO. 7 WHITE RIVER 51, NO. 2 LYNDEN 45
Lynden’s halftime lead evaporated in the third quarter and White River ran off with a regional win at Mount Vernon High School on Saturday.
The Hornets knocked off the second-ranked Lions in an upset and punched a ticket to the 2A quarterfinals on March 2.
“We’re a pretty-excited bus ride home,” White River coach Chris Gibson said after the win.
White River trailed after the opening period but stormed to a 22-8 scoring run in the second quarter. Junior guards MacKenzie Hinson and Josie Jacobs knocked down a trio of clutch three-pointers, fueling the fire.
White River’s defensive rebounding played a pivotal role on the other end.
“I’m so excited, I can’t remember the third quarter,” Gibson said, chuckling.
Sophomore forward Vivian Kingston tallied a team-high 11 points. Senior guard Morgan Greene scored 10; Hinson and junior forward Ava Bright added nine apiece.
Lynden forward Haylee Koetje dropped a game-high 17 points in the loss. Lions freshman Payton Mills scored 10 and guard Kalanie Newcomb tallied nine.
Both programs advance to the Yakima Valley SunDome for the WIAA’s Hardwood Classic. Lynden fell to an upcoming loser-out meeting in the Round of 12 on Wednesday.
White River meets a Sammamish-Seqium winner in the 2A quarterfinals on March 2. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m.
“I was really proud of how the kids pressured,” Gibson said. “We like to pressure the basketball, and I thought the kids did a nice job.”
NO. 9 WEST VALLEY (SPOKANE) 64, NO. 16 CLOVER PARK 47
Although the Timberwolves kept it close in the first quarter, the Eagles eventually pulled away and sent Clover Park home in the 2A boys basketball state tournament.
Senior Marcel Hurst led the Timberwolves with a valiant 22 points. However, there just wasn’t anyone else who scored in double digits to help keep the game closer.
For West Valley (Spokane), they also had a 22 point scorer in junior Ben Fried. Fellow junior Grady Walker also scored 11 to help lift his team to the Yakima Valley SunDome.
Clover Park ends their season with a 13-9 record.
2B
NO. 2 OKANOGAN 64, NO. 7 RAINIER 26
Okanogan’s regional win over Rainier on Saturday sends the Bulldogs directly to the 2B quarterfinals.
Okanogan was the state’s third-place finisher in 2022, eliminated by eventual-champion Warden in last year’s semifinals. They’re a game away from returning.
Rainier’s top-eight seed guarantees a trip to the Spokane Arena for the Round of 12 on March 1. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. with an opponent to be determined.
NO. 12 TRI-CITIES PREP 63, NO. 13 AUBURN ADVENTIST 42
Although the Falcons had a20-19 lead entering the second quarter, the Jaguars defense suffocated them for the rest of the game by only allowing Auburn Adventist to score 22 more points.
Pair that with a consistent offensive attack from Tri-Cities Prep, and they punch their ticket to Spokane.
The Falcons’ season ends with a record of 18-5.
1B
NO. 10 WELLPINIT 56, NO. 15 EVERGREEN LUTHERAN 44
Wellpinit has put an end to the Eagles season in the opening round of the 1B girls basketball state tournament.
After defeating Darrington and then Crescent High School in the District 1/2/3 1B regionals to make it to state, Evergreen Lutheran will now head home with a 15-4 record for the year.
FRIDAY (FEB. 24)
4A BOYS
NO. 2 MOUNT SI 80, NO. 7 TAHOMA 45
Mount Si scored the game’s first 22 points, a shocking statement and an instantly-deflating blow for a Tahoma team on the precipice of the state quarterfinals.
That’s where the Wildcats will go. The win puts Mount Si in the quarterfinals on March 2 at the Tacoma Dome. They join Curtis, Olympia, and Federal Way — the bracket’s top four seeds — as programs already having punched tickets.
Mount Si’s early 22-0 lead proved formidable for the remainder of Friday night’s game at Tumwater High School, where Wildcats guard Trevor Hennig dropped a game-high 25 points.
Four Wildcats reached double digits, in total: Miles Heide, a senior forward, posted 19. Junior guard Blake Forrest tallied 15 and senior forward Bennett Olujic added 13.
Tahoma’s season remains alive. The Bears tip off against a to-be-determined opponent on March 1, also inside the Tacoma Dome for a Round of 12 meeting at 12:15 p.m.
NO. 3 OLYMPIA 67, NO. 6 SKYLINE 54
Olympia toppled Skyline in Friday’s regional round, advancing directly to the state quarterfinals inside the Tacoma Dome.
The win at Tumwater High School leapfrogs Olympia directly over the Round of 12 and into the bracket’s ‘Elite Eight’ on March 2.
Olympia guard Parker Gerrits dropped a game-high 19 points — 10 in the third quarter — sparking a second-half rally and allowing the Bears to play add-on.
Sophomore guard Matt Lindblom tallied 14 points. Senior forward Andreas Engholm posted 13 and junior guard Drew Carlson added 12.
Skyline’s Trey Crandall posted a team-high 14 points.
Skyline enters the Round of 12 at the Tacoma Dome and meets No. 11 Davis on March 1. Tip-off is set for 9 a.m.
3A BOYS
NO. 2 GARFIELD 83, NO. 7 TIMBERLINE 51
The Blazers came out playing some of the best basketball they had all season. Shots were falling, the Bulldogs had no answer for senior Brooklyn Hicks, and Timberline had a 24-17 lead after the first quarter.
But Garfield roared back with a 20-8 second quarter over the Blazers, culminating in a 7-0 run to end the half and take a 37-32 lead into the half. A lead they kept for the rest of the game.
“Coming out in the second half, we tried to attack the basket and get to the hoop, but [coach Brandon] Roy kept fresh bodies on Brooklyn and they had press throughout the game and it wore us down,” said coach Allen Thomas. “There’s going to be times where the offense is there, but you always need defense to create opportunities. [Garfield has] a championship pedigree. It’s good that we saw the best team in the state, it’s something that we have to work towards.”
Hicks led all scores with 33 points. However, 23 came in the first half as the Bulldogs kept throwing different defensive looks at him in the second half.
Seniors Jaylin Stewart, Jamari Jackson and Emmit Marquardt scored 19, 18, and 11 respectively. Sophomore Legend Smiley added in 12 for Garfield as well.
The loss forced Timberline to face the winner of No. 15 Auburn Mountainview and No. 10 Bellevue. That game will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the Tacoma Dome.
4A GIRLS
NO. 4 EASTLAKE 58, NO. 5 SUMNER 46
Despite a close first quarter between the Wolves and Spartans, Eastlake eventually pulled away for the win in the opening round of the 4A state playoffs.
Three Sumner players came away in double digits. Freshman Olivia Collins scored 15, Lainee Houillon scored 12, and senior Kylie Griffin scored 10.
However, there was no answer for the Wolves’ senior Ava Schmidt. The future Northern Arizona player dropped 31 points against Sumner.
With the loss, the Spartans will face the winner of No. 13 Decatur and No. 12 Gonzaga Prep at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the Tacoma Dome.
3A GIRLS
NO. 13 EVERETT 56, NO. 12 PENINSULA 51
The Seagulls took the game’s final lead late in the third quarter on the first of back-to-back 3-pointers from guard Mylie Wugumgeg, and held on late in a loser-out game at Tacoma Community College.
The win sends Everett (18-8), which last advanced past the state regionals in 1996, to next week’s 3A state bracket in the Tacoma Dome.
3A South Sound Conference champion Peninsula’s season ends just short of the tournament site at 18-6.
The two programs tied or swapped the lead eight times in the third before the Seagulls eventually took a 41-40 lead they never lost with 1:13 to play in the quarter.
Everett led by two possessions much of the fourth before the Seahawks cut the lead to 52-49 with 1:02 to play on a driving layup from Grace Richardson.
Peninsula fouled on both of Everett’s possessions inside the final minute, and Mae Washington and Wugumgeg each hit both ends of a one-and-one to keep the game out of reach.
Wugumgeg scored a game-high 23 points, including a trio of 3-pointers in the third, while Alana Washington had 15 points for the Seagulls and Mae Washington had nine.
Kaylia Heidelberg paced Peninsula with 14 points, while Richardson had 12 and Brooke Zimmerman added 10.
Everett moves on to play the loser of Saturday afternoon’s matchup between Lincoln and Mead at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday in the Tacoma Dome.
NO. 15 AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW 39, NO. 10 NORTH THURSTON 27
The Lions battled through a pair of regional play-ins to reach the Tacoma Dome.
Auburn Mountainview’s win on Friday night eliminated North Thurston and pushed the Lions to the Hardwood Classic, which tips off March 1. The Lions’ first opponent in the Dome is to be determined on Saturday night; Auburn Mountainview faces the loser of No. 2 Arlington-No. 7 Lakeside (Seattle).
2A GIRLS
NO. 4 PROSSER 57, NO. 5 TUMWATER 31
The Mustangs built a double-digit cushion by halftime and advanced to the state quarterfinals in Friday’s regional win over Tumwater.
Prosser’s stout defense in the first half culminated into a 17-8 scoring run and, inevitably, the game-defining lead.
Mustangs freshman Deidra Phillips jump-started Prosser’s rally with 11 first-half points. She finished with 16, which tied a career-high. Sophomore Naomi Chavez added nine.
The win at Davis High School placed Prosser directly in the state quarterfinals at the Yakima Valley SunDome on March 2. Tumwater will make the trip to Yakima for a Round of 12 contest on March 1.
1A GIRLS
NO. 15 ANNIE WRIGHT 48, NO. 10 COLLEGE PLACE 40
The Gators traveled 217 miles to knock the Hawks out of the 1A state playoff hunt behind a mixture of aggression on the court and taking shots the players were comfortable with.
Two players that embodied the aggression Annie Wright was going for were freshman Aaliyeh Martin and sophomore J’Lyn Doodigan. The offense essentially flowed through both players as Martin scored 22 and Doodigan scored 21 for a combined total of 43 points.
“It was a team effort, even players who didn’t step on the court contributed. Our messaging was for them to go out and have fun, enjoy the moment and play hard,” said coach Chris Spivey. “No matter what, someone always steps up for our team. I’m proud of our overall performance. College Place has a good record and they had some foul trouble early on, but we came out aggressive and confident.”
The defensive side of the court is where other Gators shined in the win. Sophomore Avah Snodgrass and senior Rae Wartell were in the right place at the right time snagging boards for Annie Wright. Wartell even had some critical blocks down the stretch as well.
Sophomore Tatum Johnston was tasked with holding down some of the Hawks’ best players and proved successful at it.
All of these efforts combined to the Gators clinching their fifth consecutive trip to the Yakima Valley SunDome for the 1A state tournament. That accomplishment is something Spivey hangs his hat on.
“This is a testament to what we’ve built, players understand our culture and we get to go back to state,” he said. “We have to be humble, and be hungry for more.”
Annie Wright will face off against the loser of No. 2 Lynden Christian and No. 7 Cashmere at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
TUESDAY (FEB. 21)
BOYS BASKETBALL
3A
NO. 14 NORTH THURSTON 68, NO. 19 EVERETT 46
The Rams are partying in North Thurston, regional ticket in hand.
Ray Adams posted a 25-25 double-double and the Rams blew past Everett in a regional play-in on Tuesday night. North Thurston’s home win ended Everett’s season and pushed the Rams into this weekend’s regional round — or, the ‘Sweet 16.’
“They’re still celebrating right now,” Rams coach Mike Conner said, nearly a half-hour after the final buzzer. “They’re still going strong in there.
“A fun moment for our guys. And to be able to do it on our own floor, it was extra special.”
Adams’ 25 rebounds broke North Thurston’s single-game state record. It is believed by Conner to be an all-time single-game school record. His 25 points led all scorers, and both statistics notched career-highs for the senior guard.
A rotation of fresh legs proved vital in the second quarter, when North Thurston exploded for 27 points and cruised to a commanding halftime lead. Everett failed to revert its deficit to within double-digits.
“Our biggest strength all year has been our depth,” Conner said. “As (Everett) had to go to their bench, we were able to separate, because we were staying strong with fresh legs and able to keep the pressure on them.”
Adams tallied four blocks, plus his 25-25 double-double. Senior forward Thad TenKley added 15 points.
Sophomore guard Micah Anderson logged 10 points and three assists.
North Thurston meets West Seattle at Bellevue College on Saturday in the regional round. The winner books a ticket to the Tacoma Dome for the Round of 12.
“Our guys are just excited to go make some noise in the state tournament,” Conner said. “They’ve worked hard. ... We went 5-12 (last season) and they took it upon themselves to dig in and put in the work that was needed. And you’re seeing the results.”
NO. 15 AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW 67, NO. 18 MOUNTAIN VIEW 57
Auburn Mountainview’s season remains alive — and the Lions are dancing to regionals.
Senior guard Jamaal Elliott posted a team-best 22 points and pushed the home Lions to victory over Mountain View on Tuesday.
Auburn Mountainview’s early double-digit lead dissipated as the second half waned, resulting in a locked scoreboard midway through the fourth quarter. But the Lions would run off again — this time on a 6-0 run — to cement a victory in Tuesday’s loser-out contest.
Elliott added three steals and two blocks, first reported by Benjamin Ray of the Federal Way Mirror.
Auburn Mountainview wing Mande Wanlemvo dropped 17 points. Senior wing Gamard Arius and senior guard Anthony Barzul posted 14 points apiece.
Mountain View’s season ends at 15-11, featuring a second-place finish in the 3A Greater St. Helens League. The Thunder took seventh in last week’s District 3/4 bracket, securing the last available regional allocation.
Auburn Mountainview advances to a regional meeting at Bellevue on Saturday with a trip to the Tacoma Dome on the line.
NO. 16 SHORECREST 48, NO. 17 STADIUM 45
Stadium’s late rally fell short and Shorecrest advanced to the WIAA’s regional round this weekend.
Scots forward Parker Baumann paced all scorers with 21 and snagged the game-sealing rebound in the final seconds, per the Everett Herald.
Stadium senior Ne’Quan Brown posted a double-double featuring 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Shorecrest meets Gig Harbor in Saturday’s regional round at Tacoma Community College. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. and the winner punches a ticket to the Tacoma Dome.
1B
NO. 15 POMEROY 69, NO. 18 MUCKLESHOOT TRIBAL 62
Down by as much as 20 points, the Kings took a timeout late in the third quarter to gather themselves and figure out what kind of on-the-fly adjustments they could make against the Pirates.
After making their adjustments, Muckleshoot Tribal opened the fourth quarter on a 12-2 run to cut the score to 55-48. However, Pomeroy held onto their lead through the rest of the quarter and game.
Despite getting as close as five points, the Kings had to resort to fouling the Pirates late. With each made shot, that solidified Pomeroy’s chances at winning the game.
Muckleshoot’s season comes to an end with a final record of 14-11.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
3A
NO. 15 AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW 40, NO. 18 GIG HARBOR 28
The Lions had the tall task of shutting down two of the 3A South Sound Conference’s best players. And they were able to do just that in holding the Tides to just 28 points in their contest.
Gig Harbor’s junior Taylor Schwab and senior Riley Peschek were held completely in check defensively by Auburn Mountainview. All in part thanks to efforts by senior Maliyah Elliott and junior Neviah Johnson.
“Our identity has been our defense. Sometimes, we aren’t the best on offense but our defense doesn’t change,” said coach Cate Doherty. “We knew we were gonna win on the defensive end. We made sure our kids helped each other and double teamed [Peschek]. She’s dominant in the post, and we honed in [Schwab] as well.”
When on defense, Johnson is typically utilized by Doherty to play against the opposing team’s best player. Naturally, Johnson and Peschek got to know each other fairly well in the game as they battled in the post for most of it.
The Lions’ defensive efforts paid off though. The Tides were unable to score more than nine points in a single quarter while Auburn Mountainview put up as much as 17 in the second period.
Elliott led her team in scoring, grabbing a double-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and even getting seven steals in the process. Johnson netted five points, and grabbed eight rebounds as well.
Freshman Iliayah Wallis-Caw also had some time in the paint against Peschek where she came away with eight points and 13 rebounds of her own.
With the loss, Gig Harbor’s season ends at 14-9. On the flip side, Auburn Mountainview punches their ticket to the big dance and will enter the 3A state tournament.
Although the Lions prefer not to look ahead at their next opponent, they advance to play against another 3A SSC member. This time in the form of North Thurston.
NO. 14 WEST SEATTLE 48, NO. 19 CENTRAL KITSAP 37
The Wildcats proved themselves to be the superior jungle cats as they trounced the Cougars and ended their season in the process.
Central Kitsap held a slim 11-9 lead after the first quarter, but West Seattle would then outscore them 21-10 in the second quarter. That took it to 30-19 at the half in favor of the Wildcats and they never looked back.
For the Cougars, their season ends at a 12-11 season record. The Wildcats will advance to take on No. 11 Lynwood in the state tournament.
This story was originally published February 21, 2023 at 10:08 PM.