The top seeds in the Class 1A District 1 girls basketball tournament — Lynden Christian and King’s — earned their way into the championship game, but the other three Whatcom County teams are still alive for state berths.
The Northwest Conference champion Lyncs blasted Cedar Park Christian (Bothell), 82-14, in one semifinal, and the North Sound Conference champion Knights rallied to beat Nooksack Valley, 43-36, in the other semifinal Tuesday night, Feb. 11.
Lynden Christian and King’s will once again play for the district title on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Mount Vernon High School. The winner will also earn a spot in the Bi-District 1/2 championship game and an automatic berth in the regional round of the state tournament.
In consolation action Tuesday, Mount Baker and Meridian easily defeated their North Sound counterparts in loser-out games. The Mounties brought down South Whidbey, 53-17, and the Trojans clobbered Coupeville, 52-24.
Consolation play continues Thursday with Meridian at Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) and Mount Baker at Nooksack Valley. Thursday’s winners will then play for third and fourth places on Saturday, and Thursday’s losers will play for fifth place, also on Saturday.
The top five placers all will advance to the bi-district tournament that starts next Monday.
Lyncs Record Another Record Blowout
A day after notching a victory with their largest margin of victory of the season (81-14 over South Whidbey), the Lyncs literally did themselves one better in scoring 80-plus points for the fourth time this season.
How lopsided was it? LC (21-1) led 23-0 after one period and scored more points in each quarter than the Eagles (16-6) scored in the whole game. Junior guard Emily Mellema had 13 points, one less than the entire Eagles team.
And 11 different Lyncs scored, while Cedar Park Christian star Irena Korolenko was held scoreless.
Joining Mellema in the scoring parade for the second-ranked Class 1A team in the state were Libby Stump and Kenadi Fay with 11 each, Paige TeVelde and Riley Dykstra with 8 each, and Lexi Hernandez with 7 points.
Lynden Christian 82, Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 14
Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 0 8 5 1—14
Lynden Christian 23 19 23 19—82
Cedar Park Christian (Bothell): Trinity Michel, Reagan Hicks, Abby Perrigoue 2, M. Perrigoue 2, Olivia Decker, Lauren McNamara 1, Irena Korolenko, Mikaehla. Brown 3, Marianna Brown 6.
Lynden Christian: Libby Stump 11, Demi Dykstra 6, Paige TeVelde 8, Kiley Roetcisoender 3, Riley Dykstra 8, Liv Mellema 6, Emily Mellema 13, Lexi Kaptein, Lexi Hernandez 7, Kenadi Fay 11, Alli VanKooten 4, Charley Dykstra 5.
Pioneers Can’t Hold Down King’s In Second Half
Defensive-minded Nooksack Valley (16-6) met its match Tuesday as King’s (17-5) held the Pioneers to their second-lowest point total of the season and dropped them into the consolation bracket.
Senior guard Kora Larsen led Nooksack Valley with 7 points, and freshman guard Hallie Kamphouse and freshman forward Taylor Lentz added 6 points each, but it was too little offense against the North Sound Conference champions.
The Nooksack Valley defense did its job, keeping the fifth-ranked Knights to just four points in the first period, and helping the Pioneers to a 17-14 halftime lead. The 43 points was the Knights’ third-lowest score of the season.
But King’s, behind Mia Flor (18 points) and Claire Gallagher (13 points), rallied in the second half for the victory.
King’s 43, Nooksack Valley 36
Nooksack Valley 5 12 12 7—36
King’s 4 10 18 11—43
Nooksack Valley: Kora Larsen 7, Tehya Moore 4, Maya Galley 4, McKenna Wichers 2, Hallie Kamphouse 6, Ellie Van Berkum 3, Renae Hoekema, Jenna Compton 4, Taylor Lentz 6.
King’s: Brenna Hart 2, Gwyn Siers, Mia Flor 18, Ashley Gray 6, Emma Storkson, Ava Francisco 3, Claire Gallagher 13, Samantha Skaggs 1.
Mounties’ Come Out Strong, Blast South Whidbey
Mount Baker (12-10) wasted little time in making a big statement as the Mounties shut out the Falcons (9-13) in jumping to a 14-point first-quarter lead, and were never threatened afterward.
Junior forward Petra Allred and freshman guard Madison Barter led Mount Baker with 10 points each, and the Reardon sisters combined for 15 points — sophomore Taite collecting 8 and junior Ripley having 7 — as nine different Mounties scored.
It was a rough tournament for South Whidbey, which was held to its lowest point total of the season (14) the night before against Lynden Christian. Tuesday’s 17 points was the Falcons’ second lowest, and no player had more than 4 points.
Mount Baker 53, South Whidbey 17
South Whidbey 0 8 4 5—17
Mount Baker 14 11 15 13—53
South Whidbey: Mary Moss, Simone White, Madi Knauer 2, Nikki Murnane 2, Arianna Briggs 4, Liz Haines 4, Kayla Knauer, Ella Wood 1, Hadley Eager, Emma Hodson, Sami Daly 4, Isabelle Wood.
Mount Baker: Trinity Anderson 6, Rylee Ross 2, Madison Barter 10, Petra Allred 10, Alyssa Chadwick 2, Kaitlyn Rosenburg 3, Hayley Jimmie, Taite Reardon 8, Abby Yost 5, Ripley Reardon 7.
Trojans’ Bench Leads Way Over Coupeville
Ten different Trojans scored as Meridian (11-12) bounced back from Monday’s disappointing loss to King’s by taking it out on Coupeville (12-7).
Meridian’s bench got a lot of playing time with freshman guard Avery Neal collecting a game-high 15 points, including three 3-pointers; sophomore guard Kayla Aalpoel scoring 9 points; and freshman guard Maris Baklund added 6 points.
Meridian held Coupeville to five first-quarter points in jumping to a 12-point lead, and then put the game away with a 17-1 third quarter.
Meridian 52, Coupeville 24
Coupeville 5 10 1 8—24
Meridian 17 10 17 8—52
Coupeville: Scout Smith 7, Chelsea Prescott 2, Audrianna Shaw 1, Anya Leavell 2, Hannah Davidson 4, Tia Wurzrainer 2, Maddie Georges 4, Avalon Renninger, Carolyn Ihamon 2, Isabelle Wells, Kylie VanVelkinburgh, Mollie Bailey.
Meridian: Madeline Bowler 3, Kayla Aalpoel 9, Maris Baklund 6, Brynn Neal 1, Finnley Claeys 4, Amanda Schleimer 3, Kandance Blankers, Emilee Swanson 3, Avery Neal 15, Ellie DeWaard 4, Skyleigh James 4.
CLASS 1A DISTRICT 1
Saturday, Feb. 8
Meridian 65, Sultan 34 (loser out)
Monday, Feb. 10
Nooksack Valley 61, Coupeville 15
King’s 42, Meridian 36
Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 54, Mount Baker 42
Lynden Christian 81, South Whidbey 41
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Meridian 52 Coupeville 24 (loser out)
Mount Baker 53, South Whidbey 17 (loser out)
Lynden Christian 82, Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 14
King’s 43, Nooksack Valley 36
Thursday, Feb. 13
Meridian at Cedar Park Christian (Bothell), 7 p.m.
Mount Baker at Nooksack Valley, 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14
Lynden Christian vs. King’s at Mount Vernon, 5:30 p.m. (winner first, loser second)
Saturday, Feb. 15
Meridian-Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) loser vs. Mount Baker-Nooksack Valley loser at Mount Vernon, 2 p.m. (winner fifth, loser out)
Meridian-Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) winner vs. Mount Baker-Nooksack Valley at Mount Vernon winner, 5:30 p.m. (winner third, loser fourth)
(Top five advance to Bi-District)
