1A Girls State: LC In Semis After Winning 2OT Thriller, 66-59

It took two extra periods, numerous big shots and just as many agonizing misses, but finally the Lynden Christian girls basketball team prevailed over Annie Wright, 66-59, in Thursday’s quarterfinals of the Class 1A state tournament in the Yakima Valley SunDome.

But before trying to describe the heart-thumping two-overtime thriller, there’s the big picture. With the victory, the third-seeded Lyncs improved to 23-3 on the year and move on to Friday’s semifinals against second-seeded Zillah at 9 p.m.

A semifinal victory would put Lynden Christian back in the championship game for the first time since 2023 with a chance to claim its first state title since winning it all in 2022.

OK, back to Thursday’s exciting win.

“It was stressful, but it was fun,” said LC sophomore Tyra Dykstra speaking not only for the team but the thounds of fans that filled the SunDome and endured a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

For coverage of all of our Whatcom teams’ state games, click on State Games.

The Lyncs looked in command with a 28-17 lead early in the third quarter. But before you can say, “Where is Annie Wright?” (the answer is Tacoma) the Gators had reeled off 24 third-period points and taken the lead.

It would be back and forth the rest of the game and in the end, there were seven ties and 12 lead changes. And there were the missed opportunities, the first coming when Dykstra missed a jumper at the buzzer at the end of regulation.

Then in the final 16 seconds of the first extra period, Annie Wright missed a wide-open layup and LC missed two free throws sending the game to a second overtime.

It was somewhere in there that Lynden Christian coach Brady Bomber, the king of calm, looked at his nervous girls in the huddle, and gave them a big smile. “I told them, ‘We’re built for this. This is why you work hard, for moments like this.”

And in the second overtime, the moments were theirs. With 2:50 left, senior Ella Fritts sank two free throws to tie the game. After a Gators miss, Dykstra hit a big 3-pointer with two minutes remaining. Fritts sank two more free throws, and after a Gators bucket, Dykstra made a jumper and Fritts sank two more free throws to end it.

Dykstra’s shots were huge — “She was clutch,” said Fritts — but Fritts was the one who wouldn’t let the Lyncs lose. In addition to making all six pressure-packed free throws in the second overtime, the senior leader finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. Oh, and in the biggest game of the season, she was 14 of 18 from the line.

“We never freaked out,” the all-state guard said of the overtime pressure. “We were confident.”

As for Dykstra’s clutch shots, the youngster seemed more nervous being interviewed than taking the final shot in a state playoff game. “We knew we had to come together as a team,” she said. And what was she thinking when she had the ball with time running out? “I don’t know. I just shot it.”

And made it … again and again as she finished with 18 points and four of LC’s six 3-pointers. The Lyncs got a big boost from their bench as freshmen Jess DeJong had 11 points and 7 rebounds, and Daylin Dykstra had 5 points. Junior Jocelyn Eshuis added 6 points and 10 rebounds, and junior Ellie Pierce had 4 assists. Senior Sara Van Loo also was awarded the team’s sportsmanship medallion for the game.

Lost in the excitement of the game and the anticipation of Friday’s semifinals is the fact that Thursday’s quarterfinal win guarantees Lynden Christian a trophy for the 21st straight tournament. During the two-decade stretch, they’ve reached the championship game 10 times and won six state titles.

As an historian of the program, Bomber pointed out that all 11 players on the roster had at least one parent attend and often play basketball for Lynden Christian, and that four of the coaches were LC grads and two more married LC grads.

“We have a tremendous respect for the foundation that’s been built,” said Bomber, who often praises LC’s former state championship coaches Curt DeHaan and Sharon Strengholt. “We walk on the shoulders of those who came before us.”

And after Thursday’s thrilling victory, those who came before can be proud of this year’s Lyncs.

Lynden Christian 66, Annie Wright 59

Annie Wright 6 11 24 9 5 4—59

Lynden Christian 12 12 15 11 5 11—66

Annie Wright: Martin 25, Nichols-Whitmore 6, Bates 11, Andrisek 15, Mathews, Defebaugh, Phillips 2.

Lynden Christian: Fritts 20, T. Dykstra 18, Eshuis 6, Hernandez, D. Dykstra 5, Van Loo 3, Pierce 3, DeJong 11.

CLASS 1A GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT

At Yakima SunDome

Wednesday, March 4

Bellevue Christian 68, Wapato 51 (loser out)

Seton Catholic 35, Cascade Christian 33 (loser out)

Annie Wright 47, Montesano 33 (loser out)