There will be no repeat for the Valley Girls as Nooksack Valley lost to another Valley — Naches Valley — in the Class 1A state tournament, 41-37, on Wednesday afternoon, March 5, at the Yakima SunDome.
The loss ends the Pioneers’ season with a 17-9 record, and ends their dream of winning a third straight state championship. Of course, carrying that burden wasn’t really fair since this was a new team having to replace four all-star starters.
“I’d be very happy to be here,” Nooksack Valley coach Shane Wichers said when asked how he’d feel at the beginning of the season to be in this situation. “I’m so proud of them. They created an identity as a new team. It’s a testament to them. We wanted to win, but sometimes it isn’t a reality.”
The eighth-seeded Pioneers played the ninth-seeded Rangers even throughout the game — and this was a Naches team that led No.1-ranked Lynden Christian by 17 before losing a heart-breaker.
In Wednesday’s defensive struggle, Nooksack Valley’s hustling defense never let the run-and-gun Rangers get running or gunning, holding them to their lowest point total of the season.
Unfortunately, the Pioneers also had one of their lowest scoring games of the season. A cold spell early in the second quarter let Naches Valley take a 29-20 advantage and even though Nooksack Valley finished with a couple of buckets to end the quarter, they could never erase that five-point halftime deficit.
“We had great looks; they just didn’t go in,” said Wichers, who also mentioned the loose balls and rebounds that escaped the Pioneers’ grasp. “In close games, all those little things are magnified.”
Providing most of the offense for Nooksack Valley were juniors Payton Bartl and Grace DeHoog.
Bartl, a 5-foot-7 guard, continued her hot shooting, making five of nine shots including two of Nooksack’s three 3-pointers, for a game-high 16 points. DeHoog, a 6-2 post, made six of her 10 shots and finished with 12 points.
DeHoog also had 14 boards to help the Pioneers’ win the rebounding battle, 41-29. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to offset the difference in turnovers — Nooksack Valley had 24 and Naches only had 10.
The Pioneers cut the deficit to 34-33 midway through the fourth quarter but didn’t score again until Bartl’s reverse layup with just over two minutes left. They missed a layup that would have made it a one-point game and couldn’t secure a defensive rebound on the next possession that led to a final Naches score.
While the season ended in defeat, the team was far from defeated, said Nooksack’s lone senior.
“We gave it our all,” said Kate Shintaffer, who was awarded the sportsmanship medallion after the game. “We gave it all we had.”
It was the team’s competitive attitude as exemplified by Shintaffer that Wichers praised.
“Kate would do whatever we needed her to do,” said Wichers. “She was the grit and set a great example for the younger players. Whoever appeared on the court gave everything they had.”
Shintaffer, as the only returning starter and a part of the two state championship teams, saw the big picture even while holding back the tears.
“There were a lot of people who didn’t think we’d get this far,” she said. “I’m really proud of us.”
Wichers also was sad, but not because of the loss.
“The hard thing is the finality … boom! The season is over,” he said. “These are great kids and great people to be around. This will help them in life.”
And with all but one player returning, it should help them come playoff time next season.
Naches improved to 21-6 and advances to the quarterfinals to play second-seed Bellevue Christian on Thursday afternoon.
Although the WIAA does not sanction all-tournament teams, in voting by media members, Kaleo Anderson of King’s was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Joining her on the first team were Kiana Skogstad and Olivia Reynolds of Bellevue Christian, Makenna Klitzke of Zillah, and Maddy Jewett of Naches Valley.
On the second team were Allison Shumate and Danya Dykstra of Lynden Christian, Cat Ellard of King’s, Camille Bates and Jasmine Andrisek of Annie Wright, and Bella Valadez of Zillah.
Naches Valley 41, Nooksack Valley 37
Nooksack Valley 14 6 9 8—37
Naches Valley 13 11 8 9—41
Nooksack Valley: Kate Shintaffer 4, Payton Bartl 16, Chayleigh Davis 3, Peyton Duque, Raegan Burke 2, Grace DeHoog 12.
Naches Valley: Addi Vanwagoner, Emary Rowe, Emmaria Mendoza 3, Bella Rowe 4, Kaitlyn Van Hamburg, Finley Hahn-Keenan 7, Maddy Jewett 13, Ellie Bost 9, Denali St. Martin 5.
CLASS 1A GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT
At Yakima SunDome
Wednesday, March 5
Zillah 78, Wapato 41 (loser out)
Cashmere 35, Montesano 28 (loser out)
Annie Wright 71, Lakeside (9 Mile) 57 (loser out)
Naches Valley 41, Nooksack Valley 37 (loser out)
Thursday, March 6
#3 Zillah (21-4) vs. #4 King’s (18-7) , 9 a.m.
#7 Cashmere (18-8) vs. #1 Lynden Christian (21-3), 10:30 a.m.
#5 Annie Wright (20-6) vs. #6 Seton Catholic (19-6), 12:15 p.m.
#8 Naches Valley (21-6) vs. #2 Bellevue Christian (22-2), 2 p.m.
Friday, March 7
Consolation game, 9 a.m.. (loser out)
Consolation game, 10:30 a.m. (loser out)
Semifinal, 3:45 p.m.
Semifinal, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 8
Consolation game, 8 a.m. (winner fourth, loser sixth)
Consolation final, 11:15 a.m. (winner third, loser fifth)
Championship game, 3 p.m. (winner first, loser second)
