Girls Playoffs: Nooksack, Lummi Nation Win; Baker Out

Nooksack Valley defeated Whatcom County rival Meridian, 55-49, in the consolation finals at the Class 1A District 1 girls basketball tournament on Saturday, Feb. 15, but Mount Baker saw its season come to an end in the same tournament with a 40-24 loss to Cedar Park Christian (Bothell). 

Meridian and Nooksack Valley now have to go through the gauntlet at the Bi-District 1/2 tournament.

As the fourth-place District 1 finisher, Meridian will have to win three games in the bi-district tournament to reach the regional round of the state tournament. The Trojans’ task starts Monday with a loser-out home game against University Prep.

By finishing third in District 1, Nooksack Valley will need one less victory in the bi-district tournament to secure a regional spot. The Pioneers begin bi-district action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the winner of Monday’s Cedar Park Christian (Bothell)-Bear Creek contest.

The county’s fourth District 1 entry, Lynden Christian, defeated King’s, 41-26, for the district championship on Friday and advanced directly to the bi-district championship game. The Lyncs will play District 2 champion Seattle Academy on Friday at 5 p.m. at Shorewood High School in Shoreline.

Both Lynden Christian and Seattle Academy already have secured two of the bi-district’s five berths into the regionals.

In the Class 1B Tri-District 1/2/3 tournament that opened Saturday, the Lummi Nation girls had little trouble with visiting Quilcene, winning their play-in game, 54-33.

The Lady Blackhawks now advance to the quarterfinals and go on the road to face Muckleshoot Tribal School in Auburn on Tuesday. The winner of that game will earn a berth in the regional round of the 1B state tournament. The loser will need to win two more loser-out games to qualify for regionals.

1A: Pioneers Rally In Fourth To Top Trojans

In a back-and-forth contest, Nooksack Valley (18-6) had the last and decisive run — an 18-8 edge in the fourth quarter — to defeat Meridian (12-13).

Sophomore guard Tehya Moore had nine points for the game, all from the free throw line, and was 6-for-6 in the final period as the Pioneers rallied for the victory.

Senior guard Kora Larsen again led Nooksack Valley with 15 points, freshman guard Hallie Kamphouse had 9 points, junior forward Jenna Compton had 8 and junior guard Maya Galley added 7.

“A lot of different people stepped up at different times,” said Nooksack Valley coach Shane Wichers.
Stepping up for Meridian was senior junior guard Madeline Bowler, who had 14 points. Freshman guards Ellie DeWaard and Maris Baklund had 8 and 6 points, respectively, and senior guard Amanda Schleimer and sophomore post Skyleigh James added 6 each for the Trojans. 

Nooksack Valley 55, Meridian 49
Nooksack Valley                               16      6    15    18—55
Meridian                                              7    19    15      8—49

Nooksack Valley: Kora Larsen 15, Tehya Moore 9, Maya Galley 7, McKenna Wichers 1, Hallie Kamphouse 9, Ellie Van Berkum 2, Renae Hoekema, Jenna Compton 8, Taylor Lentz 4.

Meridian: Madeline Bowler 14, Kayla Aalpoel 2, Maris Baklund 6, Brynn Neal, Finnley Claeys 3, Amanda Schleimer 6, Kandance Blankers, Avery Neal 4, Ellie DeWaard 8, Skyleigh James 6.

1A: Mounties Come Out Cold, Season Comes To End

For the second time in three days, Mount Baker (12-12) was held to just 24 points and the Mounties couldn’t overcome the lack of scoring as they were eliminated by Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) (17-7).

The Mount Baker-Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) game on Saturday was a rematch of a district opening-round game, which the Mounties lost, 54-42.

“We really struggled offensively,” said Mount Baker coach Kim Stensgar. “We felt like we beat ourselves more than we lost to CPC.”

The Mounties managed only six points in the first half and finished with their second-lowest point total of the season. As she has all season, senior forward Abby Yost was the leader with 9 points. Freshman guard Madison Barter added 8 points, but no other Mountie managed more than 2 points.

Mount Baker will only lose one senior to graduation, but she will be greatly missed. Yost was a four-year player who led the team on both ends of the court and who was the final link to Mount Baker’s 2017 state championship team.
“Abby is our beloved lone senior,” said Stensgar. “She was amazing all year for us.”

Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 40, Mount Baker 24 
Mount Baker                                           5      1    13    5—24
Cedar Park Christian (Bothell)          10    4    17    9—40

Mount Baker: Trinity Anderson 2, Madison Barter 8, Petra Allred 2, Hayley Jimmie, Madelyn Valum, Taite Reardon 1, Abby Yost 9, Ripley Reardon 2.

Cedar Park Christian (Bothell): Trinity Michel 5, Reagan Hicks, Skye Bonner, Abby Perrigoue, Megan Perrigoue, Olivia Decker 7, Irena Korolenko 16, Mikaehla Brown 9, Marianna Brown 3.

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 44, Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 28
Nooksack Valley 48, Mount Baker 24

Friday, Feb. 14
Lynden Christian 41, King’s 26 (winner first, loser second)

Saturday, Feb. 15
Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 40, Mount Baker 24 (winner fifth, loser out)
Nooksack Valley 55, Meridian 49 (winner third, loser fourth)

(Top five advance to Bi-District)

1B: Lady Blackhawks Run Past Quilcene

Lummi Nation (15-8) blew open a close game with an 18-2 third quarter to eliminate Quilcene (11-11) and move within one victory of going to state for the first time since 2012.

“I’m very proud of our Lady Blackhawks,” said Lummi Nation coach Michael Wade. “Even when our shots weren’t falling early in the game, they continued to defend with great effort and intensity.”

Wade praised the defense of Alayla Solomon, Shanderea Julius and Vanessa Bearpaw on the Rangers center Marissa Keiffer, which limited her to 9 points, six below her average.

Freshman guard Raven Solomon led the balanced scoring attack with 13 points as eight of 11 players scored. Junior guard Shaylynn Jojoba had 12 points, junior center Alayla Solomon had 11 and junior forward Rian Greene added 7.
“We played with good tempo today and used our speed advantage to generate offense,” said Wade.

Lummi Nation 54, Quilcene 33
Quilcene                                7    10      2    14—33
Lummi Nation                    11    12    18    13—54

Quilene: Stormie Elkins 1, Brittney Beokes 6, Harmony Scholz, Natalie Coffey 12, Savannah McBride, Madison Coffey 5, Marissa Kiefer 9, Ashley Jones.

Lummi Nation: Aliesha Solomon 5, Raven Solomon 13, Rian Greene 7, Shaylynn Jojola 12, Aiyona Morris 4, Ashtin McElderry, Shandeara Julius 1, Keyonee Morris, Serena Pantalia 1, Vanessa Bearpaw, Alayla Solomon 11.

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
Lummi Nation at Muckleshoot Tribal School
Clallam Bay at Tacoma Baptist
Puget Sound Advent winner at Mount Vernon Christian
Tulalip Heritage winner at Neah Bay

Thursday, Feb. 20
Consolation games (loser out)
Semifinals

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)

Jim Carberry of Whatcom Hoops

Author
Jim Carberry is a former Bellingham Herald sports editor and author of several books on Whatcom County prep basketball. Follow him on Twitter @whatcomhoops and visit the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.

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