The Lynden Christian girls basketball team is used to meeting challenges, but on Saturday they completed an impressive sweep by winning the Class 1A Bi-District 1/2 championship with a 60-46 win over Overlake.
To get to the bi-district title game and face the District 2 champion Owls, the Lyncs had to beat the top two seeds in District 1 — Meridian and King’s. All three of the victories were by 14 or more points.
For updates on how our Whatcom County teams are doing in the 1B, 1A, 2A, and 3A tournaments, be sure to keep checking www.whatcomhoops.com.
Grace Sterk, who usually gets praise for her defense and rebounding, was in the scoring spotlight Saturday. The senior forward led the Lyncs with a game-high 26 points. Isabela Hernandez added 16 to the LC attack.
Defending state champion Lynden Christian, which improved its record to 20-3, now heads into the state regionals, which will be held next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22 and 23. Joining the Lyncs in regionals will be Meridian (18-5), Overlake (17-4) and King’s (20-5).
The LC and Meridian girls will have to wait until Tuesday at the earliest to find out who and where they will be playing.
Lynden Christian 60, Overlake 46
Lynden Christian 17 12 18 13 — 60
Overtake 13 10 10 13 — 46
Lynden Christian: Libby Stump 3, Josie Bocci, Isabela Hernandez 16, Kiley Roetcisoender, Riley Dykstra 7, Liv Mellema 2, Emily Mellema 6, Kenadi Fay, Grace Sterk 26.
Overlake: Addie Sapirstein 2, Mariam Cosmos 6, Annabelle Wiley 3, Jessica Calleran, Jamison Foster 1, Kaku Cosmos 14, Rachel Sapirstein 8, Eliza Friend 12.
CLASS 1A BI-DISTRICT 1/2 GIRLS TOURNAMENT
First round (Thursday)
Nooksack Valley 52, Bush 32 (loser out)
King’s 56, University Prep 16 (loser out)
Second round (Friday)
Meridian 51, Nooksack Valley 29 (winner to state, loser out)
King’s 58, Seattle Academy 39 (winner to state, loser out)
Championship (Saturday)
Lynden Christian 60, Overlake 46 (winner first, loser second, both to state)
(Full schedule and bracket at nwcathletics.com)
Jim Carberry is a former Bellingham Herald sports editor and author of several books on Whatcom County prep basketball. Follow him on Twitter @whatcomhoops and visit the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.
