1A boys: Zillah earns berth in quarters

YAKIMA, Wash. — Mitchell Zapien’s shot, normally a thing of beauty for the Zillah Leopards, has been missing in action for a while. But his game hasn’t. He has simply focused on defense, rebounding and passing, leaving fellow seniors Joel Yellow Owl and Scottie Riojas to carry the scoring load.

And those two have been doing some serious heavy lifting — Riojas pouring in mid-range and 3-point jumpers and Yellow Owl knifing through the lane or along the baseline for acrobatic baskets.

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With sophomore Robert Slack quarterbacking the offense and cat-quick defenders Marco Rodriguez and Ricky Cuellar forcing the turnovers that ignite the Leopards’ fast break, Zillah has been playing at a fever pitch in its current four-game winning streak … even without Zapien’s shooting touch.

On Saturday, Zapien found it — and the Leopards (21-5) find themselves as perhaps the hottest team heading to the Yakima SunDome for this Thursday’s Class 1A state quarterfinals against Nooksack Valley (17-9) after their 93-63 demolition of Lakeside at Eisenhower.

“My shot hasn’t been falling. Coach always says you don’t stop shooting, but just make sure you focus on rebounding, defensive and passing,” Zapien said. “That’s what I’ve been doing the last few games.”

Did he still feel the same about his shot after Saturday?

A smile peeked out. “It felt like I’m back a little bit.”

More than a little: Zapien sank eight of his 13 shots from the field, including a 3-pointer, en route to 22 points. He also continued his yeomanlike effort elsewhere, barely missing a triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists.

“Even last night (in a 52-40 victory over King’s) he wasn’t at the top of his game,” Zillah coach Doug Burge said of Zapien. “But at this time of year, when you’re playing better teams, it doesn’t matter how many points you score, it’s if you win and you make your team better. And he’s been doing that.”

So, too, has Yellow Owl, who followed up his 18-point game on Friday with a monster 29-point, 10-rebound, four-assist game against Lakeside, going 13-for-17 from the field.

“He finds ways to get open, we get him the ball and he puts it in,” Zapien said of Yellow Owl. “He’s so quick and so strong, most guys can’t stay with him.”

Riojas added 12 points and the Leopards put together a fast-breaking and passing clinic in trouncing Lakeside (16-10). Eight different players had a hand in Zillah’s season-high 25 assists, and the 93 points was a season high as well. The Eagles got 21 points and 10 rebounds from 6-foot-5 Ryan Gunderson, but they were never in the game after Zillah’s 29-point second quarter, during which the Leopards shot a sizzling 11-for-14.

“So far, that’s the best we’ve played. So far,” Yellow Owl said. “We’re playing great, but we’re not at our peak yet. We can do better.”

It would be hard to imagine the Leopards playing better than they did on Saturday. But Yellow Owl is convinced they will, for one very big reason.

“Now’s the time. This is when you have to put everything together,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if we just make it to state, just to be another team.

“We want to go all the way.”

2/27/11 Zillah-Lakeside photo gallery

Photos from Saturday’s Class 1A state tournament, winner-to-quarterfinals game between Zillah and Lakeside at Eisenhower High School in Yakima, Wash.

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2A girls: Merkle’s late trey lifts Devils

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — During Tassia Merkle’s moment of glory, even as her celebratory scream was drowned out by the cheers of ecstatic East Valley fans Saturday, the Red Devils junior was not losing her perspective even as she was winning the game.

“I knew the game wasn’t over,” said Merkle, still trembling with excitement minutes after her 3-pointer with eight seconds left in overtime had catapulted EV into the Class 2A state quarterfinals with a 39-38 win over Ephrata. “I knew there was time left, and that I had to get back on defense.”

Get back she did. The Tigers called timeout with 4.3 ticks remaining, after which Ephrata senior Abby Smith missed a foul-line jumper at the buzzer.

Merkle, who shouted toward the Nicholson Pavilion rafters after her game winner from the left corner splashed down, was no doubt fueled by adrenaline as she sprinted back.

So was coach Robi Raab as he joined his players in their locker room and yelled, “How ‘bout those Red Devils!”

Indeed.

Having survived elimination games on successive days, East Valley (21-5) will oppose Burlington-Edison at 3:45 p.m. Thursday in the SunDome. The Red Devils, eighth at state last year, most recently reached the quarterfinals in 2007.

EV got there this time with the same formula it has used for years of success — suffocating defense and timely shooting.

The Devils limited Ephrata to 32 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers, but still faced a 31-25 deficit with 4:20 to play in regulation.

And while the Tigers would not score again until overtime, East Valley started its comeback on the second Merkle’s three 3-balls, after which Emilee Raney scored on a drive with 1:25 left.

Raney, one of EV’s two seniors, made one of two free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining to force overtime.

Ephrata, which split two regular-season games with the Red Devils, took a 36-35 lead with 1:08 left in OT on a putback by Kendra DeGroot. After EV’s Mikaela Zimmer made one of two foul shots to tie it at 48.7, Kelsey Yenney made her only field goal of the game on a left-to-right runner from the lane for a 38-36 Ephrata lead with 23 seconds to go.

Timeout, Red Devils.

“We wanted to get the ball to Tassia in the corner, as one of our options, because she’s clutched up for us so much all season,” Raab said of his 5-foot-4 reserve, who led all scorers with 13 points and was the lone Devil to hit a 3-pointer. “We also had our rebounders in position in case she missed, but she didn’t miss. I had a great look on it, and I knew it was in.”

Said Merkle, “I wasn’t sure it was going in, but I’m awfully glad it did. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I just had to do it for my team.”

DeHoog finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers, who ended their season with a 15-12 record. Smith, one of three Ephrata seniors, had seven points and 14 boards, and was consoled afterward by Raab.

“I just told Abby that she’d had a great career and it shouldn’t be defined by her missing that shot,” Raab said. “She’s a great kid and we had to prepare for her every time we played them.”

2A boys: Hounds back in the race

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Even if they’re not entirely back, if Grandview hasn’t completely recovered from the two losses that followed 21 straight wins, the Greyhounds are happy to note two important facts.

For one, they’re getting closer to the form of their 20-0 regular season and following district semifinal win. For another, they’re still playing.

“I’m not sure we have all our confidence back,” Christian Schrank said Saturday after Grandview advanced to the Class 2A state quarterfinals by fending off Clarkston, 57-55 in Nicholson Pavilion. “But I do think we’re getting closer. And the best part is, we’ve got another week to work on it.”

The second-ranked Hounds (23-2), will meet No. 3 Burlington-Edison at 9 a.m. Thursday in the SunDome. It’s where they’ve wanted to be all along, if not necessarily at such an early hour.

A day after sweating out a 53-51 loser-out duel with CWAC rival Wapato, Grandview pulled steadily ahead of the tall and talented Bantams, then made just enough plays down the stretch to earn its first final-eight berth since 2002.

Schrank and his fellow seniors were third graders then, and obviously remember the Greyhounds’ most recent state championship.

“Being from Grandview,” coach Roy Garcia said, “and having played for Grandview, then being an assistant coach and now having the privilege of being the head coach, people sometimes ask how you put up with the stress and all the time demands and things that go with it.

“But you also develop relationships. You come to really know and love the Christian Schranks, the Tony Velas, the Daniel Neilsens and all these young gentlemen in here. And that’s why you do it. They’ve worked so hard to get to this point.”

And their work Saturday was not completed until a three-quarter-court heave by Clarkston missed at the buzzer.

The Hounds, offsetting a considerable height differential with meticulous ballhandling, 3-point shooting and old-fashioned hustle, led 35-24 midway through the third quarter on a Schrank long ball.

Fifth-ranked Clarkston (21-6), however, crept to within 54-53 with 29.1 seconds to play before Schrank, fouled while rebounding a Bantam free throw that would have tied the score, made two from the line.

Trey Sobotta, who led Clarkston with 13 points, missed a long, leaning 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, but 6-foot-3 teammate Brady Arnone rebounded, was fouled and made both shots to again make it a one-point game.

Against full-court Bantam pressure, Nielsen was quickly fouled at 9.7 and converted the first free throw to push his game-high scoring total to 21, and Grandview’s lead to 57-55.

Tommy Sperry, a 6-6 senior who had eight points and 12 boards for Clarkston, rebounded Nielsen’s miss, and when given the ball in the frontcourt, put up a hurried 15-foot runner that Schrank pulled off the glass.

Though Schrank missed his one-and-one with 1.9 seconds left, the Hounds contested neither the rebound nor the desperation heave that concluded the game.

“We did struggle there for awhile,” said Tony Vela, the Greyhounds’ senior point guard and who, at 5-7 led his team’s rebounders with eight. “But we weren’t really playing Grandview Greyhounds basketball. Now we’re executing better and doing things the way we’re supposed to.”

1A boys: Mabton rebounds, tops Cashmere

SPOKANE, Wash. — The third-ranked Mabton boys basketball team wasn’t its usual frenetic self early on Saturday against Cashmere.

In the third quarter, however, the Vikings got back to doing what they do best.

Shaking off the hangover from Friday’s loss to Chelan, Mabton got going early in the second half and went on to beat Cashmere 61-55 to advance to this week’s Class 1A state quarterfinals in the SunDome.

The Vikings play defending champion Cascade Christian at 3:45 p.m. Thursday.

“I’m sure we didn’t sleep well Friday night,” Mabton coach Brock Ledgerwood said. “There were a few times you could tell we didn’t have the energy.”

Ledgerwood, the SCAC East coach of the year, used several timeouts in hopes of shaking the malaise. A minute into the third quarter, his players came around.

Down four points, the Vikings (20-5) steadily took over the game fueled by their pressing defense, and the 1-2 scoring punch of Kristian Carrasco and Josh Sanchez.

Carrasco, the conference player of the year, poured in a game-high 24 points and dished out seven assists.

“He was able to get to the basket at will,” Ledgerwood said of his senior standout.

Sanchez, a junior, added 19 points.

Mabton is making its first back-to-back trips to state since advancing to the Class B tournament four straight seasons (1993-96).

The Vikings can earn their fifth state trophy and first since their fifth-place finish in 2007 with a victory this week.

Jordan Christensen led the Bulldogs with 16 points and Cooper Elliott added 14.

2B boys: RC’s run ends against La Conner

LONGVIEW, Wash. — Within three points heading into the final period, Riverside Christian’s spirited bid for the Class 2B state quarterfinals hit a dry patch as the unranked Crusaders fell to No. 9 La Conner 62-53 in a state loser-out game Saturday at Mark Morris High School.

Derek Byrne struck for a game-high 24 points, adding five rebounds and three assists, and Matt Shuel collected 13 points and six rebounds for Riverside Christian, which ousted defending champion Pe Ell on Friday.

La Conner, with a taller lineup across the front line, pulled away with a 17-11 advantage in the final period.

“It was a heck of a ball game and the kids played their hearts out,” said RC’s first-year coach Will Gaethle, whose team finished 17-9. “La Conner’s a good team with plenty of height and they made some key shots at the end.”

Landy James and Spencer Novak combined for 36 of La Conner’s 62 points. The Braves (21-4) advance to the state quarterfinals in Spokane on Thursday.

“For a first year with a new staff and new system, I couldn’t ask for more,” Gaethle added. “It was a very good season.”

2/26/11 Prep basketball scoring summaries

BOYS

CLASS 4A

Davis 78, Ferris 69 FINAL

At Richland HS, loser-out, winner to quarters

Davis 18 20 19 21 — 78 Ferris 24 13 22 10 — 69

CLASS 2A

Grandview 57, Clarkston 55 FINAL

At Central Washington University, loser-out, winner to quarters

Grandview 14 11 19 13 — 57 Clarkston 12 7 17 19 — 55

CLASS 1A

Zillah 93, Lakeside 63 FINAL

ZILLAH — Slack 8, Garcia 0, Widner 2, Rodriguez 4, Cuellar 4, Walker 0, Mitchell Zapien 22, Scottie Riojas 12, Dasso 8, Villanueva 4, Joel Yellow Owl 29, Thomas 0. Totals 37-63 16-27 93. LAKESIDE — Moffatt 7, Warlick 9, Kyle Powell 11, Broderius 0, Ryan Gunderson 21, Brinkman 3, Erickson 3, Watson 3, Widman 6, Wood 0, Dobbs 0, Painter 0. 22-59

Zillah 16 29 27 21 — 93 Lakeside 20 12 17 14 — 63

3-point goals: Zillah 3-10 (Slack 1-2, Zapien 1-2, Riojas 1-3), Lakeside 8-26 (Warlick 3-6, Powell 2-3, Erickson 1-1, Moffatt 1-5, Brinkman 1-6).  Rebounds: Zillah 39 (Yellow Owl 10, Zapien 10), Lakeside 35 (Gunderson 10). Fouls: Zillah 15, Lakeside 22. Fouled out: Moffatt (L), Erickson (L). Turnovers: Zillah 12, Lakeside 19. Assists: Zillah 25 (Zapien 9, Yellow Owl 4, Riojas 4), Lakeside 6 (Powell 2, Erickson 2).

Mabton 61, Cashmere 55 FINAL

CASHMERE — McIlroy 0, Cooper Elliott 14, Johnson 8, Collins 0, Darlington 8, Boyd 7, Jordan Christensen 16, King 2. MABTON — Johnson 4, Kristian Carrasco 24, Josh Sanchez 19, Chavez 0, Maciel 0, L. Sanchez 5, Huecias 4, Gutierrez 0, Strickland 5.

Cashmere 17 13 13 12 — 55 Mabton 14 18 12 17 — 61

Highlights: Carrasco (M) 7 assists, Andrew Gutierrez (M) 5 rebs, Mitchell Darlington (C) 10 rebs.

CLASS 2B

La Conner 62, Riverside Christian 53 FINAL

At Mark Morris HS, loser out, winner to quarters

Riverside Christian — La Conner —

GIRLS

East Valley 39, Ephrata 38 (OT) FINAL

At Central Washington University, loser-out, winner to quarters

East Valley 6 7 9 9 8 — 39 Ephrata 5 5 12 9 7 — 38

Granger 43, Lakeside 41 FINAL

GRANGER — M. Gunnier 0, Wapsheli 8, Italia Mengarelli 17, Villa 2, John 2, Oswalt 8, Reyes 6. Totals 13-51 14-27 43. LAKESIDE — Mich. Brittos 4, Lesser 0, Kyllo 3, Tayler Flemming 14, Lexie Zappone 12, Watkins 0, Mir. Brittos 0, Widman 5, Campbell 3. Totals 15-45 8-15 41

Granger 10 14 9 10 — 43 Lakeside 11 14 9 7 — 41

3-point goals: Granger 3-13 (Wapsheli 2-5, Mengarelli 1-4), Lakeside 3-11 (Flemming 2-6, Kyllo 1-1). Rebounds: Granger 42 (Oswalt 7, Mengarelli 6, Wapsheli 6), Lakeside 40 (Campbell 14, Widman 10). Fouls: Granger 18, Lakeside 22. Fouled out: Mengarelli (G), Mich. Brittos (L). Turnovers: Granger 14, Lakeside 19. Assists: Granger 2, Lakeside 6 (Zappone 3).

Colleges: YVCC’s Franco an All-American

SPOKANE, Wash. — Teagan Franco, a Yakima Valley freshman from Spanaway, earned All-American status Saturday at the National Junior College Athletic Association wrestling tournament in the Spokane Convention Center.

Franco finished eighth in the 184-pound competition, leading YVCC’s contingent of eight competitors in a competition that featured 36 schools and 251 athletes.

The Yaks were 23rd in the team scoring, totaling 21 points. Clackamas Community College of Oregon City, Ore. won the championship while North Idaho was second.

Franco won his first two matches, the first in a 1-minute, 48-second pin and the second in a 10-7 decision, to reach the championship quarterfinals. There he was pinned by eventual national champ Nick Petersen of Northwest College in 2:05.

But Franco bounced back for a 9-5 decision in the consolation bracket before losing 9-1 to Mercyhurst Northeast’s Marlon Baker, who finished sixth.

Franco finished 3-2 in the tournament.

Other YVCC competitors were Gustavo Lopez, a freshman from Wapato who went 2-2 at 125 pounds; Brian Bitney, a freshman from Puyallup who went 2-2 at 133; Sean Baker, a freshman from Hood River, Ore., who went 2-1 at 157; Dillon Ford, a freshman from Montesano, who went 1-2 at 165; Ryan Campbell, a freshman from Montesano who went 0-2 at 174; Jack Calvert, a sophomore from Othello who went 1-2 at 149; and Tito Gonzales, a freshman from Yakima who was 0-2 at 197.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Central-UPS postponed

TACOMA — Central Washington’s non-conference baseball doubleheader with Puget Sound was postponed Saturday due to bad weather.

Davis headed back to Tacoma; locals win 6 of 7

RICHLAND, Wash. — The seventh-ranked Davis boys basketball team upended No. 2 Ferris 78-69 on Saturday afternoon at Richland High School to earn a quarterfinal berth in the Class 4A state tournament in the Tacoma Dome.

The Pirates will face third-ranked Jackson at 9 a.m. Thursday.

Elsewhere, five other Yakima Valley teams earned spots in the quarterfinals.

At Central Washington, East Valley’s girls squeaked past CWAC rival Ephrata 39-38 in overtime in Class 2A action. Grandview’s boys team then dispatched Clarkston 57-55.

In Class 1A action at Eisenhower High School, two-time runner-up Granger edged Lakeside 43-41 in girls action. In the next game, eighth-ranked Zillah ran past Lakeside 93-63.

At Spokane’s Mead High School, Mabton topped Cashmere 61-55 in 1A boys action.

Riverside Christian’s boys saw their season end as they fell to La Conner 62-53 in Class 2B action.

Class 2B: RC boys knock off Pe Ell

LONGVIEW, WWash. — Derek Byrne scored 18 points, including some timely free throws, to lead the Crusaders past the defending champion Trojans 53-49 in a Class 2B state loser-out game Friday at Mark Morris High School.

With the Crusaders leading by 10 in the fourth quarter, Pe Ell trimmed the margin with two long 3-pointers.

“Darn-near half court,” RC coach Will Gaethle said. “They were just insanely deep.”

Byrne’s free throws helped extend the margin and put the game away for the Crusaders.

Zack Peggins scored 13 points for the Crusaders (17-8), who are back at state for the first time in three seasons.

“The reason we won was we played as a team and everyone worked hard,” Gaethle said. “It was really neat to be a part of.”

In addition to his scoring, Byrne also contributed nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. His rebounds tied Kyle Gartrell for the team high.

“We got some pretty decent rebounds from our boys,” Gaethle said.

Riverside Christian will face La Conner-Napavine in a loser-out matchup today at 3 p.m. at Mark Morris.

White Swan eliminated

SPOKANE, Wash. — Justin Beraducci led four players in double figures scoring with 15 points, and Colfax used a big second half to defeat White Swan 57-41 in a Class 2B loser-out state regional boys basketball game Friday at University High.

Lawrence Fiander had 11 points and Nathan Mesplie 10 to lead White Swan (21-4).

Brandon Gfeller and Alex Teade added 12 points, and James Robinson 10 for Colfax, which outscored the Cougars 35-21 after halftime to stay alive.

Colfax will face Waitsburg-Prescott today, with the winner advancing to the state quarterfinals. Waitsburg-Prescott beat Brewster 63-50 on Friday.

2B GIRLS

White Swan reaches quarters

SPOKANE, Wash. — Miami Van Pelt led four Cougars in double-figures with 15 points as White Swan advanced to the Class 2B state quarterfinals with a victory over Waitsburg-Prescott, 75-53 at University High School.

Sophia Perez had 14 points, Kassy Espindola had 13 points and seven rebounds, Amber Jones added 13 points and four assists, and Van Pelt had six rebounds, six assists for White Swan (19-5).

Up 56-45 headed into the fourth-quarter, the Cougars held Waitsburg-Prescott to just eight points to extend the final margin to 22 points.

The Cougars will return to Spokane on Thursday for their quarterfinal matchup.

This is White Swan’s first quarterfinal berth since the Cougars took seventh place in Class 1A in 2006 in the SunDome.

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