The higher seeds won all four games involving Whatcom County teams in the Class 1A and 1B District 1 tournaments on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
In the new “league” format tournament, the fourth-seeded Blaine girls and Meridian boys eliminated the fifth-seeded Mount Baker girls and boys in a doubleheader at Blaine. The Borderites and Trojans will advance to the second round in another loser-out doubleheader at Meridian on Thursday.
Meanwhile, in the 1B tournaments, the top-seeded Lummi Nation boys had little trouble winning on their home court to move into the district finals, while the Lummi Nation girls had a close one but couldn’t quite knock off top-seed Mount Vernon Christian.
Here’s what happened Tuesday night.
1A Girls: Blaine Wins Thriller, Eliminates Mounties
Hailey Pike rebounded her own miss in a crowd and put it back in with 11 seconds to go to give Blaine a 34-33 victory over Mount Baker in the first round of the Class 1A District 1 tournament at Blaine.
The victory by the Borderites (9-9) ends the season for the Mounties (4-14) and moves Blaine into a second-round matchup at third-seed Meridian (14-5) on Thursday, Feb. 10.
The winner of Thursday’s game will play Feb. 15 against the loser of Friday’s championship game between top-seed Nooksack Valley and second-seed Lynden Christian for the district’s second and final berth in the bi-district round.
Tuesday’s defensive struggle was close throughout with the Borderites taking the early lead but Mount Baker fighting back to lead by three going into the final period. But the Mounties could only muster three points in the fourth quarter and couldn’t stop Pike, who had all seven of Blaine’s points in the last period.
Pike finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds, and fellow senior Krystin Kamrath and sophomore Deja Dube had 8 points each. Pike and Kamrath also had 3 assists each. Senior Maddy Barter led Mount Baker with 17 points, and sophomore Jenna Wineinger added 6.
Blaine 34, Mount Baker 33
Mount Baker 10 5 15 3—33
Blaine 16 5 6 7—34
Mount Baker: Nika Canete, Lauren Valum 5, Edith Contreras, Maddy Barter 17, Alyssa Chadwick, Jojo Lindsey 2, Taite Reardon 3, Jenna Wineinger 6.
Blaine: Shaelyn Shields, Hailey Pike 14, Jordyn Vezzetti, Millie Berkeley, Krystin Kamrath 8, Alia Ball 4, Deja Dube 8.
CLASS 1A DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Tuesday, Feb. 8
#4 Blaine 34, #5 Mount Baker 33 (loser out)
Thursday, Feb. 10
Blaine at #3 Meridian (loser out)
Friday, Feb. 11
Championship game
#2 Lynden Christian at #1 Nooksack Valley (winner to bi-district playoff)
Tuesday, Feb. 15
Consolation final
Blaine-Meridian winner at Lynden Christian-Nooksack Valley loser (winner to bi-district playoff, loser out)
1A Boys: Freshman Helps Meridian Oust Mount Baker
Jaeger Fyfe sank nine 3-pointers and finished with 32 points to help Meridian knock off Mount Baker, 66-46, in the first-round, loser-out game of the Class 1A District 1 tournament.
The freshman guard had 10 points in the first period and 13 in the second as the Trojans (6-12) jumped out to a 17-4 lead after one period and pulled away from the Mounties (0-17).
In addition to Fyfe’s big offensive night, Meridian senior Daniel Short added 12 points on four 3 pointers, and junior Hunter Jones had 8 points. Seniors Davin Beason and Draven Davis led Mount Baker with 13 points each, and sophomore Jesse Harward had 7 points.
Meridian will advance to face third-seed Nooksack Valley (5-11) on Thursday, Feb. 10, at Meridian in another loser-out game.
The winner of that game will play Feb. 15 against the loser of Friday’s championship game between Lynden Christian and Blaine for the district’s second and final berth in the bi-district round.
Meridian 66, Mount Baker 46
Mount Baker 4 15 12 15—46
Meridian 17 16 18 15—66
Mount Baker: Jacob Wade 3, Landon Smith 6, Jesse Harward 7, Caleb Horsmon 5, Davin Beason 13, Griffon MacLachlan, Kaden Hill, Alex Magallano, Draven Davis 13, Jesse Sande.
Meridian: Dane Beck, Bryce Johnson 1, Jaeger Fyfe 32, Amrit Nagra 2, Daniel Short 12, Tucker Harrison, Talon Jenkins 3, Owen Hughes 1, Taran Burks 5, Landon James, Hunter Jones 8, Tyrel Brooks 2.
CLASS 1A DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Tuesday, Feb. 8
#4 Meridian 66, #5 Mount Baker 46 (loser out)
Thursday, Feb. 10
Meridian vs. #3 Nooksack Valley at Meridian (loser out)
Friday, Feb. 11
Championship game
#2 Blaine vs. #1 Lynden Christian at Nooksack Valley (winner to bi-district playoff)
Tuesday, Feb. 15
Consolation final
Meridian-Nooksack Valley winner vs. Blaine-Lynden Christian loser (winner to bi-district playoff, loser out)
1B Boys: Lummi Nation Rolls Into District Finals
Lummi Nation won its 12th straight game by clobbering fourth-seed Orcas Island, 79-39, in the Class 1B District 1 semifinals and will once again be playing for the district title.
Senior post Tyran Lane led the Blackhawks with 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals. In the first quarter, he also entered a select group by scoring his 1,000th career point for Lummi Nation. That group includes older brother Trazil Lane, Caleb Revey, and Sarah Tom (nee Brady).
Tyran wasn’t the only standout for the Blackhawks (12-1), who will host second-seed Mount Vernon Christian (14-4) on Thursday for the district championship.
Sophomore Tobias Francis had 11 points and 4 rebounds; junior Richard Wilson and freshman Tony Abrams had 8 points and 3 assists each and combined for 9 rebounds; senior Duncan Toby had 9 assists and 4 steals; and eighth-grader Jerome Toby had 6 points and 4 assists.
Orcas Island (7-7) will play Grace Academy (10-4) also at Lummi Nation on Thursday with the winner taking third and the loser fourth.
All four semifinalists as well as fifth-place finisher Cedar Park Christian (Lynnwood) advance to next week’s District 1/2/3 tournament.
CLASS 1B DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Thursday, Feb. 3
Play-in games
#6 Cedar Park Christian (Lynnwood) 41, #7 Concrete 35 (loser out)
#3 Grace Academy 54, #10 Lopez Island 19 (loser out)
#8 Providence Classical Christian 63, #5 Darrington 50 (loser out)
#4 Orcas Island 1, #9 Fellowship Christian 0 (forfeit) (loser out)
Saturday, Feb. 5
First round
Grace Academy 63, Cedar Park Christian (Lynnwood) 36
Orcas Island 59, Providence Classical Christian 57
Tuesday, Feb. 8
Consolation round
Cedar Park Christian (Lynnwood) 60, Providence Classical Christian 56 (winner fifth place to tri-district, loser out)
Semifinals
#2 Mount Vernon Christian 58, Grace Academy 50
#1 Lummi Nation 79, Orcas Island 39
Thursday, Feb. 10
At Lummi Nation
Consolation final
Grace Academy vs. Orcas Island (winner third, loser fourth, both to tri-district)
Championship game
Lummi Nation vs. Mount Vernon Christian (winner first, loser second, both to tri-district)
1B Girls: Lummi Nation Falls Short In Semifinal
The Lady Blackhawks (9-4) had their seven-game win streak broken by Mount Vernon Christian (15-3), the top seed from the Northwest 1B-2B League and third ranked team in the state, 52-41, in the Class 1B District 1 semifinals at Mount Vernon.
Lummi Nation will take on a familiar foe, Northwest 1B League top-seed Grace Academy (8-2), in the consolation final on Thursday at Lummi Nation. The winner will take third and the loser fourth.
Grace Academy was upset by Orcas Island in the other semifinal. The Blackhawks have split their two games with the Eagles this season.
All four semifinalists and Shoreline Christian advance to next week’s District 1/2/3 tournament.
CLASS 1B DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Thursday, Feb. 3
Play-in games
NW 1B/2B #3 Darrington 49, NW 1B #4 Lopez Island 16 (loser out)
NW 1B #3 Shoreline Christian 38, NW 1B/2B #4 Concrete 37 (loser out)
Saturday, Feb. 5
First round
NW 1B #2 Lummi Nation 54, Darrington 29
NW 1B/2B #2 Orcas Island 72, Shoreline Christian 29
Tuesday, Feb. 8
Consolation
Shoreline Christian 49, Darrington 37 (loser out)
Semifinals
NW 1B/2B #1 Mount Vernon Christian 52, Lummi Nation 41
Orcas Island 38, NW 1B #1 Grace Academy 36
Thursday, Feb. 10
At Lummi Nation
Consolation final
Lummi Nation vs. Grace Academy (winner third, loser fourth, both to tri-district)
Championship game
Mount Vernon Christian vs. Orcas Island (winner first, loser second, both to tri-district)
