‘Super’ scorer sinks SC girls

ACH’s Isaak scores 26 points to lead No. 3 Warriors ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — On a Thursday night in the SunDome, an Almira/Coulee-Hartline sophomore named Madeline Isaak became, well, a superwoman — one strong enough to hoist up and carry away the dreams of a whole bunch of people she didn’t even know.

They were the ones wearing Sunnyside Christian uniforms or sitting in the stands wearing the Knights’ maroon-and-gold colors.

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Isaak’s heroics in ACH’s 59-57 quarterfinal victory — 26 points on 9-for-17 shooting, including 4-for-7 on 3-pointers — included the final four points of the night, a game-tying fast-break layup with 2:02 remaining and the 16-foot game-winner with 63 ticks left on the scoreboard clock.

And all of that came just one night after she missed 11 of 14 shots in the third-ranked Warriors’ opening-round victory over No. 2 St. John-Endicott.

“We saw her last year and she was awesome. Then we saw her last night and thought, hey, maybe she’s not so super,” Sunnyside Christian coach Al Smeenk said. “Tonight, she was super.”

As far as Isaak was concerned, Thursday’s game was easy. Wednesday’s was hard.

“Yesterday was the day I was really nervous,” Isaak said. “That’s because it was the same draw we had last year” — another first-round showdown against SJE — “and we were up at halftime (in 2009) and lost by 20.

“After we won yesterday, it just felt like we could do it. I knew if we win this (quarterfinal against Sunnyside Christian), we’ve got an easy game tomorrow. And it just felt great, to be playing in a state game and not feeling any nerves at all.”

The Knights certainly didn’t make it easy. Julie Long, who averaged just five points during the season, buried one bloodless 3-pointer after another, going 5-for-10 from beyond the stripe en route to a team-high 17 points. Kelly Newhouse — like Long, another SC senior who has spent a career reaching the quarterfinals or the semifinals only to be turned away — was just as sensational, racking up 16 points on a variety of post moves and pulling down nine rebounds.

Between the two of them, and with a gutsy nine-point night from Hilari Bosma, playing with a torn ACL — the Knights had enough offense to stay neck-and-neck with ACH. Sometimes they were in the Warriors’ rear-view mirror and sometimes in front, but always within tailgating distance.

“When Julie hit those 3’s, I’m not surprised. She can do it,” Smeenk said. “And Kelly was a workhorse underneath. She just worked so hard.”

But it wasn’t enough. In a technically well-played game — eight turnovers for the Knights, just five for ACH — Sunnyside Christian ultimately lost it at the foul line. The Knights took no free throws in the first half while ACH was 9-for-12, and the Warriors ended up 13-for-20 to SC’s 4-for-8.

And the Knights also lost it because, well, ACH simply won it. After a season in which the Warriors had rarely been tested, they were relentless down the stretch, with Nikki Osborne (14 points) and Isaak doing most of the damage.

“Our season, we probably played two games where it was even close,” Isaak said. “We were winning every game by 30 or 40 points. It’s fun to come to state and have competition.”

And that competition remained neck-and-neck right up until the final second, when Bosma’s 3-pointer drifted right of its target, and the buzzer sounded.

“We say there’s no crying in basketball,” Smeenk said with a little shrug. “But there is tonight.

“Their hearts are broken. To give everything you’ve got and to lose by two …”

2/25/10 Sunnyside Christian-Almira/Coulee-Hartline Girls Photo Gallery

Photos from Thursday’s Class 1B state tournament game between Sunnyside Christian and Almira/Coulee-Hartline in the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash. All photos by Gordon King of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

King’s Way ousts TL-G

Knights rally for victory after Mustangs start quickly ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — The Trout Lake-Glenwood boys basketball team’s stay at the Class 1B state tournament was a short one.

But the experience, Mustangs coach Dan Concienne said, will go a long way.

“You know, I’ll probably live this last game for a couple months as far as the woulda, coulda, shoulda,” Concienne said after the team had returned to Klickitat County. “(But) the experience the SunDome gave us — from the staff to the hotel to the host — you can’t replace that.”

 

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TL-G fell 54-50 to King’s Way Christian in consolation play Thursday morning. The Mustangs’ season ended at 10-16, while the Knights (10-13) advanced to meet Lake Quinault at 11 a.m. today.

After Wednesday’s 53-24 first-round loss to Moses Lake Christian, TL-G got going early Thursday as it raced to a 12-3 lead less than 41/2 minutes in.

“Coming into today the team got refocused; that was our whole intention — bring the intensity early,” Concienne said.

While the Knights weren’t slowing the Mustangs, foul trouble was. TL-G’s leading scorer Tygh Schuster picked up his third foul in the first quarter, teammate Jacob Wells was tagged his third before halftime and Andy Wells had four fouls by the end of the third.

Trailing 17-9 early in the second, the Knights closed the half on a a 14-2 run to take a 23-19 lead.

The Mustangs briefly regained the lead midway through the third before Sean Russell put the Knights ahead to stay with a layup that made it 32-30 with 2:50 left in the period.

King’s Way’s Christian Bukant scored seven of his team-high 10 points in the second half.

Jacob Wells led the Mustangs with 15 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out, while Andy Wells added 13 points and 12 rebounds and Schuster chipped in 11 points.

The Mustangs were making the program’s first trip to the state tournament since Trout Lake qualified for the 1997 tournament in Spokane. Glenwood made the jaunt to the Lilac City in 1992.

2/25/10 Trout Lake-Glenwood-King’s Way Christian Photo Gallery

Photos from Thursday’s Class 1B state tournament game between Trout Lake-Glenwood and King’s Way Christian in the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash. All photos by Sara Gettys of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Pirates run into Colton

Defending champs handle Bickleton for spot in semis ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — Bickleton girls basketball coach Emily Barnhart told her young players that the best experience they could get was to play a state-championship team.

The Pirates got that chance Thursday in the SunDome, meeting Colton in a Class 1B state quarterfinal game.

Unfortunately, the defending champions were at their best, and the Pirates suffered a 76-18 humbling by the state’s top-ranked team.

“We were all nervous coming out,” said forward Katelynn Clinton, who had seven points, including three of Bickleton’s five field goals. “This was definitely a learning experience.

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“Now we’ll see what this team’s made of. One of our goals coming here was to win a trophy and it’s great that we still have a chance to do that.”

Bickleton (16-8) will indeed achieve that goal if they can beat Wilson Creek in today’s 2:30 p.m. consolation game. That would put the Pirates into Saturday’s game for fourth and seventh place.

“We know we’re not out of it,” Barnhart said. “That should be enough to keep our heads up and I believe they will.”

Staying positive was almost impossible Thursday as Colton’s withering defensive pressure quickly made the final outcome inevitable.

Bickleton had turnovers on its first five possessions and nine total in the first quarter, and it also missed all eight shot attempts in falling behind 20-0.

Only a Clinton free throw with 13.2 seconds left prevented Colton (23-1) from posting a third straight quarter shutout in the first half of their first two games.

The Wildcats were just as good in the second quarter, ultimately forcing 23 first-half turnovers while limiting Bickleton to 2 of 12 shooting.

“We try to get really focused (before the game),” sophomore guard Haley Moser said of the Wildcats’ defense. “It’s fun to get all those defensive stops.”

Colton coach Clark Vining called his team’s first-half defensive effort “right up there” with their best this season.

“We had good intensity,” he said. “The key was that we played good team defense. It takes all five players to guard Clinton.”

“It was frustrating, but they (Colton) have a great defense,” said Clinton, who made just 3 of 13 shots after a 35-point performance in Thursday’s opening-round victory.

“We walked in with a deer-in-the-headlights look, and walked out with a deer-in-the-headlights look. We never got rid of it,” Barnhart said. “(But) they’ve never seen a team like (Colton).”

Bickleton finished with 39 turnovers, leading to 42 Colton points.

Colton offset an poor shooting night (34.6 percent) a 13 of 42 effort from 3-point range, including hitting 10 of its final 24 starting late in the second quarter.

Moser led that charge, hitting 5 of 12 triples en route to a game-best 23 points. She made three late in the second quarter as part of a 12-1 run, and added two more in a 14-0 burst to open the third quarter that gave Colton a 50-10 lead.

“We shoot them a lot,” Moser said of the threes. “We can shoot them when we’re open.”

2/25/10 Bickleton-Colton Photo Gallery

Photos from Thursday’s Class 1B state tournament game between Bickleton and Colton in the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash. All photos by Sara Gettys of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Redskins lead semifinal charge

YAKIMA, Wash. — It started, literally, on Day 1 for Wellpinit, well before the Redskins’ season-opening loss to Rosalia.

“Last year,” coach Billy Flett said, “we only played three games here. On our first day of practice this season, our kids said they wanted to play on Saturday, and to not only be playing but playing for the big gold ball.”

Wellpinit stayed in contention for that prize in the Class 1B state tournament Thursday night in the SunDome, earning a semifinal berth with a 63-53 defeat of top-ranked and previously unbeaten Rosalia.

The victory, which avenged a 61-58 loss to the Spartans (23-3) in the first game for both teams, advanced the second-ranked Redskins to tonight’s 6 o’clock semifinal opposite Sunnyside Christian.

The Knights rallied from a 19-point third-quarter deficit to beat Almira/Coulee-Hartline 55-53 in Thursday night’s late game.

For Wellpinit, Cody Flett (the coach’s nephew), scored 20 points to lead Wellpinit while Jim Maley had 24 to top Rosalia (23-1).

The Spartans, who placed fifth last year, remained in contention for fourth or seventh places.

First to reach the final four was St. John-Endicott, which used Dylan Schmick’s 28 points to knock off fourth-ranked Cusick 71-59.

In the day’s second quarterfinal, Johnny Roberts hit the go-ahead basket with 1:07 left and Isaac Murrell added two free throws at 0:17 as Moses Lake Christian edged Lummi 37-34.

The Lions (19-5) will meet St. John-Endicott (15-11) in tonight’s second semifinal at 8.

Powerful Wildcats still cautious

YAKIMA, Wash. — His team has won its two 2010 Class 1B girls state basketball tournament games by a tournament-record 64 points on Wednesday and 58 points on Thursday, but coach Clark Vining is still doing his best to sound as if his top-ranked Colton Wildcats have reason to worry.

“I’m still concerned,” Colton coach Clark Vining said after watching his team rout Bickleton 76-18, with sophomore Haley Moser hitting five of the Wildcats’ nine 3-pointers en route to 23 points.

“There are still some pretty good teams left. Columbia (Hunters) is a real solid team. Sunnyside Christian and ACH (Almira/Coulee-Hartline), they’ve got a pretty good shot of being in the finals, and both of those are solid.

“We’ve completed two steps to our goal, but we’ve still got a ways to go.”

Fourth-ranked Hunters has had an only slightly tougher road to today’s 6 p.m. semifinal date with Colton, having opened with a 31-point drilling of previously undefeated Neah Bay on Wednesday and followed that with a 72-32 trouncing of Wilson Creek. Lindsay Loe, a 6-foot-1 sophomore post, has averaged a double-double (16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds) in the tournament, and Casey Kieffer scored 13 in the Lions’ quarterfinal victory.

The late semifinal pits No. 3 Almira/Coulee-Hartline, an all-underclassmen lineup that will almost certainly be the odds-on favorite to win it next year, against Pateros, which came out of a comparatively soft bottom quarter-bracket with victories over an 11-win Cusick team and a 42-28 quarterfinal victory over North Sound Christian, a program still looking for its first state-tourney trophy.

Lorrie Mattson and Jamie Bruno combined for 35 Pateros points on Thursday, with Mattson hitting half of her 16 field-goal attempts. But the Nannies were also guilty of 24 turnovers, 12 of those coming on North Sound steals, and ACH has quick-handed defenders. Today’s semifinal will pose an entirely different level of challenge for Pateros.

“We’ll have to play outstanding tomorrow, we know that,” said Pateros coach John Ellis, knowing full well his team is the decided underdog of the semifinal quartet, the only unranked team in the bunch.

“They (the Warriors) are very skills, they shoot the ball very well and they play great defense. We’re going to have to play 32 minutes of our best basketball, and we’ll see what happens.”

2/25/10 Lummi-Moses Lake Christian Photos

Photos from Thursday’s Class 1B state tournament game between Lummi and Moses Lake Christian in the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash. All photos by Gordon King of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Cougars heading to state

YAKIMA, Wash. — Hard to beat a good team three times? Even harder to beat a very good team at all.

Finishing off a three-game sweep of Riverside Christian, White Swan’s boys prevailed in the one that mattered most Thursday night, beating the Crusaders 53-48 in the Mid-Valley 2B winner-to-state, loser-out district title game at.

Sophomore point guard Lawrence Fiander scored 15 of his 16 points in the second half while Joel Yellow Owl and Cory Williams did some heavy lifting with a pair of double-doubles for the Cougars.

“It was a tough game but we kept our cool,” said Williams, a senior who contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. “As a senior, a game like this is tough because only one team goes to state. This is what we wanted all season long.”

Setting the pace for most of the game, White Swan saw its double-digit lead from the first half erased when Derek Byrne converted a midcourt steal into a layup with 1:30 left, drawing the Crusaders even at 42-42.

But the Cougars responded immediately with a 7-0 burst — all from Fiander and Justin Williams — to preserve the victory.

“Wow, these kids play so hard,” said White Swan coach Manuel Rangel while his team took turns cutting down the net at West Valley High School. “They wouldn’t give up the lead. They just thrive on working hard and playing tough.”

Fiander, who scored 25 and 19 points in the league wins over Riverside Christian, was 0-for-5 in the first half and held to one point. But it didn’t take him long to get on track, hitting his first two tries after the break and scoring half of the Cougars’ 20 points in the final period.

Yellow Owl put together 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Justin Williams connected on 5 of 6 free throws. The Cougars made 16 of 20 foul shots in the game.

Byrne scored 15 of his game-high 17 points in the second half, and Jeremy Pynch added 14 points with three 3-pointers for the Crusaders, who finished 14-8.

White Swan (18-4) will take an 11-game win streak to the Spokane Arena next week. It will be the program’s ninth state appearance in the last 12 years.

The state draw will be held Sunday.

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