It was a busy week for most of our Whatcom girls teams as five participated in two-day and three-day holiday tournaments around the state.
The highlight of the week was the Lynden girls’ winning three games to claim Lynden Christmas Classic championship for the second year in a row.
Meridian reached the final of its Trojan Storm Classic, and Lynden Christian, Nooksack Valley, and Sehome also participated in tourneys.
Mount Baker snuck in a non-league victory on Monday, and Bellingham and Squalicum each lost a non-league game on Friday while Blaine, Ferndale, and Lummi Nation took the Christmas week off.
For a recap of all the tournament games involving our teams, be sure to check out the Thursday roundup, Friday roundup, and Saturday roundup.
For a look back at Week 4 for our Whatcom boys teams, check out Whatcom Hoops boys recap.
Here are the girls highlights from Week 4.
GAME OF THE WEEK
In a contest closer than the final score indicated, Lynden won the Lynden Christmas Classic championship by pulling away from White River, 72-51. The score was tied early in the third quarter before the Lions used a 43-point second half to earn the decisive victory over the Class 3A power. Sophomore Finley Parcher led the way with 19 points despite being double-teamed and junior Payton Mills added 16 points, but they got a lot of help as nine Lions scored.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Finley Parcher put up 30 points for Lynden on Thursday, upped that to 40 points on Friday, and had 19 points on Saturday. Junior Payton Mills added 15 points for the Lions on Thursday and 16 on Saturday. … Lynden Christian junior Ella Fritts had 26 points in Lynden Christian’s non-league win on Monday, 17 points on Thursday, and 16 on Saturday; senior Allison Shumate had 19 points for LC on Saturday; and senior Danya Dykstra had 16 points on Friday. … Sophomore Rebeca Soares had 23 points for Mount Baker on Monday. … Freshman Melanie Short had 18 points for Meridian on Thursday, and sophomore Eden Bernardy dropped in 15 on Friday. … Senior Kate Shintaffer had 15 points for Nooksack Valley on Thursday.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
LYNDEN had an impressive week, beating three bigger schools to win the Lynden Christmas Classic. The Lions mauled Meadowdale on Thursday, 69-51; Issaquah on Friday, 65-49; and White River on Saturday in the championship game, 72-51.
MOUNT BAKER only had one game, clobbering Granite Falls, 60-19, in a non-league contest on Monday. The Mounties’ defense was on full display, holding the Tigers to their second-lowest point total of the season. Soares outscored Granite Falls with 23 points, senior Faith Wilson had 14 points, including eight in the first quarter as Mount Baker took a 26-7 lead; and freshman Rian Harkness had 8 points, including two of Baker’s three 3-pointers.
MERIDIAN moved into the championship game of its own Trojan Storm Classic by knocking off Sultan on Thursday, 45-35, and Lakewood on Friday, 50-39. The Trojans came up short in the final, losing to Burlington-Edison, 72-40.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN had a busy week, beating Arlington in a non-league contest on Monday, 69-46, and then won one of three games in its own Lynden Christmas Classic. On Monday, the Lyncs held the Eagles to 16 points in the first half and then held on to their 21-point halftime lead despite Arlington shooting 15 more free throws. Fritts made 8 of her 10 shots from the floor, including both 3-pointers, for 26 points and added a team-high 3 steals. Shumate had 13 points and 6 rebounds, Dykstra had 10 points and 8 rebounds, and junior Estela Hernandez had 7 points and 6 assists. In the Christmas Classic, the Lyncs edged Brookswood (B.C.) on Thursday, 47-42, and lost to White River on Friday, 56-53, and Issaquah on Saturday, 68-58.
NOOKSACK VALLEY won one of three games at the prestigious T-Town Throwdown in Tacoma. Playing against much bigger schools, the Pioneers lost to River Ridge on Thursday, 50-42; defeated host Silas on Friday, 42-26; and lost to Juanita in the third-place game on Saturday, 42-37.
SQUALICUM lost its only game of the week on Friday, a non-league contest against Eisenhower of Yakima, 40-25. The Storm started slow, only scoring three points in the opening quarter, and never catching up against the Class 4A Cadets. Senior Loretta Murphy-Kangas led the young Storm with 12 points, but no one else managed more than four points.
SEHOME lost both its games at the CWU Tournament, bowing to Eastmont on Friday, 70-40, and to Ellensburg on Saturday, 62-33.
BELLINGHAM lost its only game of the week on Friday, a non-league contest against Interlake, 62-46. Junior Mary Lockhart led the Bayhawks with 16 points, sophomore Merritt Jensen had 11 points, and junior Avery Manning had 10 points, including both of Bellingham’s 3-pointers.
BLAINE had the week off.
FERNDALE had the week off.
LUMMI NATION had the week off.
NOTE: A big thank you to the coaches and Tyler Anderson of WhatcomPreps.com for providing statistics.
WEEK 5
TOP GAME
In another short week because of the New Year’s holiday, the most entertaining games might be at the Mount Vernon Christian Holiday Tournament, which will feature some of the top Class 1B and 2B girls and boys teams in our region, including the Lummi Nation Lady Blackhawks, Thursday through Saturday. The big game in the Northwest Conference will be Lynden Christian at Burlington-Edison on Friday.
SCHEDULE
Thursday, Jan. 2: Lummi Nation vs. Mount Vernon Christian at MVC Tournament
Friday, Jan. 3: Lynden Christian at Burlington-Edison, Anacortes at Sehome, Lakewood at Ferndale, Bellingham at Squalicum, Lummi Nation at MVC Tournament
Saturday, Jan. 4: Meridian at Mount Baker, Lynden at Mount Vernon, Nooksack Valley at Bellingham, Lummi Nation at MVC Tournament
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
| League | Overall | |||
| W | L | W | L | |
| Lynden | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Nooksack Valley | 4 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| Burlington-Edison | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Lynden Christian | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Meridian | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
| Anacortes | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Ferndale | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Mount Vernon | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sehome | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Bellingham | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Lakewood | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Mount Baker | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Sedro-Woolley | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Squalicum | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Blaine | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Oak Harbor | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
NORTHWEST 1B LEAGUE
| League | Overall | |||
| W | L | W | L | |
| Lummi Nation | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Lopez Island | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Grace Academy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Cedar Park Christian (Lynnwood) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Providence Classical Christian | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Shoreline Christian | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Tulalip Heritage | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
