Lummi Nation will be sending one team to the Class 1B state tournament, but they’ll have to wait to see if both teams will be heading to Spokane.
The Lummi Nation boys made quick work of Mount Vernon Christian in the Tri-District 1/2/3 quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 18, winning 72-38 to secure one of the tri-district’s six spots in the regional round of the state tournament.
The Blackhawks aren’t done at the tri-district tournament though. They’ll face Rainier Christian in the semifinals on Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Mount Vernon Christian. A win would put them in the tri-district championship game on Saturday.
The Lummi Nation girls faced the tough task of playing a favored opponent on the road Tuesday, and the Lady Blackhawks almost pulled off the upset before falling to Muckleshoot Tribal School, 45-41, in another quarterfinal contest.
The loss drops the Lady Blackhawks into the consolation bracket starting with a loser-out game against Northwest 1B League rival Tulalip Heritage on Thursday at 7:45 p.m. at Mount Vernon Christian. Lummi Nation won both meetings with the Hawks this season.
Should the Lummi Nation girls win Thursday’s game, they would play the winner of Thursday’s Tacoma Baptist-Puget Sound Advent contest on Saturday at Mount Vernon Christian with the winner earning the tri-district’s fifth and final state berth and the loser being eliminated.
Boys: Blackhawks Start Strong And Never Let Up
How dominant was No.3 Lummi Nation’s victory over No.25 Mount Vernon Christian (12-12)?
Well, three Blackhawks had as many points as the entire Mount Vernon Christian team did in the first quarter (6).
By halftime they were up by 30. They only scored two points in the fourth quarter … and still won by 34 points.
As usual, it was a team effort. Lummi Nation (20-3) was led by senior guard Caleb Revey, who had 19 points. Junior forward Jaie Leighton and sophomore guard Duncan Toby added 15 points each, and sophomore forward Tyran Lane had 10 points.
Lummi Nation 72, Mount Vernon Christian 38
Mount Vernon Christian 6 15 9 8—38
Lummi Nation 26 25 19 2—72
Mount Vernon Christian: J. Denton 4, J. Hayes, J. Pedrosa, J. Myers, N. Lubbers 2, C. VanderArk 8, Ben Rozema 6, M. Wyatt 3, C. Wyatt 10, N.Hayward, T. Bank, N. Wyatt.
Lummi Nation: Franklin Whiteman, Tobias Francis, Caleb Revey 19, William Hetland 5, Duncan Toby 16, Richard Wilson 7, William Kinley, Jaie Leighton 15, Tyran Lane 10, Moses Seymour, Patrick Sturgeon.
CLASS 1B TRI-DISTRICT 1/2/3
Saturday, Feb. 15
Lopez 54, Neah Bay 53 (loser out)
Mount Vernon Christian 59, Evergreen Lutheran 55 (loser out)
Puget Sound Advent 65, Cedar Park Christian (Mountlake Terrace) 46 (loser out)
Tacoma Baptist 67, Tulalip Heritage 59 (loser out)
Tuesday, Feb. 18
Lummi Nation 72, Mount Vernon Christian 38
Rainier Christian 66, Lopez 35
Chief Kitsap Academy 53, Puget Sound Advent 50
Muckleshoot Tribal School 52, Tacoma Baptist 48
Thursday, Feb. 20
Mount Vernon Christian vs. Lopez at Mount Vernon Christian (winner to regionals, loser out)
Puget Sound Advent vs. Tacoma Baptist at Evergreen Lutheran (winner to regionals, loser out)
Lummi Nation vs. Rainier Christian at Mount Vernon Christian, 6:15 p.m.
Chief Kitsap Academy vs. Muckleshoot Tribal School at Evergreen Lutheran, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Consolation final at Mount Vernon Christian (winner third, loser fourth; both to regionals)
Championship final at Mount Vernon Christian (winner first, loser second; both to regionals)
Girls: Lady Blackhawks Can’t Pull Off Upset
No.18 Lummi Nation (14-9) knew it would have its work cut out for it having to travel all the way to Auburn to face No.8 Muckleshoot Tribal School (19-5) on its home court.
And after scoring only six points in the first quarter, things didn’t look good for the Lady Blackhawks. But as they have all season, they battled back, outscoring the Kings the rest of the way but never catching them.
Junior center Alayla Solomon led Lummi Nation with 13 points and her little sister, freshman Raven Solomon, added 10 points. Another freshman guard, cousin Aliesha Solomon, and junior forward Rian Greene had 7 points each.
“I was very proud of our girls’ effort on both sides of the ball tonight,” said Lummi Nation coach Michael Wade.
“We came up short on the road against a very good ball club, but we look forward to getting back on the floor against Tulalip on Thursday night. The good part is our season isn’t over, but we just have to keep fighting.”
Muckleshoot Tribal School 45, Lummi Nation 41
Lummi Nation 6 15 10 10—41
Muckleshoot Tribal School 12 12 12 9—45
Lummi Nation: Aliesha Solomon 7, Raven Solomon 10, Rian Greene 2, Shaylynn Jojola 7, Keyonee Morris, Ashtin McElderry 2, Shandeara Julius, Serena Pantalia, Alayla Solomon 13.
Muckleshoot Tribal School: Priscilla Jansen 9, Kalani Thompson 4, Leila Sam 6, Resa Starr, Kalea Lezard 10, Paige Courville, Nevelen Yeallowbear 6, Avoyelles Offord 10, Cecilia Reyes.
CLASS 1B TRI-DISTRICT 1/2/3
Saturday, Feb. 15
Lummi Nation 54, Quilcene 33 (loser out)
Clallam Bay 59, Cedar Park Christian (Mountlake Terrace) 35 (loser out)
Puget Sound Advent 44, Grace Academy 39 (loser out)
Tulalip Heritage 57, Rainier Christian 45 (loser out)
Tuesday, Feb. 18
Muckleshoot Tribal School 45, Lummi Nation 41
Clallam Bay 60, Tacoma Baptist 46
Mount Vernon Christian 43, Puget Sound Advent 30
Neah Bay 60, Tulalip Heritage 30
Thursday, Feb. 20
Tacoma Baptist vs. Puget Sound Advent at Evergreen Lutheran, 6:30 p.m. (loser out)
Lummi Nation vs. Tulalip Heritage at Mount Vernon Christian, 7:45 p.m. (loser out)
Clallam Bay vs. Mount Vernon Christian at Mount Vernon Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Muckleshoot Tribal School vs. Neah Bay at Evergreen Lutheran, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Fifth-place game at Mount Vernon Christian HS (winner fifth, to regionals; loser out)
Consolation final at Mount Vernon Christian HS (winner third, loser fourth; both to regionals)
Championship final at Mount Vernon Christian HS (winner first, loser second; both to regionals)