Everett, Wash.
Published: Friday, February 29, 2008

Snohomish girls fade late, lose 55-47 in the Class 4A girls tournament to Lewis & Clark, the two-time defending champs

By Mike Cane
Herald Writer

 TACOMA -- Don't misunderstand Emily Guthrie. Sure, she would have loved for her team to beat the highly touted Lewis & Clark Tigers.

But sometimes merely challenging the favorites is a thrill.

"They are an awesome team and just to be in contention with them was an awesome feeling. I'm so proud of the girls," Guthrie, a senior on the Snohomish girls basketball team, said after her squad lost 55-47 against Lewis & Clark in a quarterfinal game Thursday at the Class 4A state tournament.

With 80 seconds to go, Snohomish (20-6) was within two points of unbeaten Lewis & Clark (27-0), which is aiming for its third consecutive state title. After trailing by 10 points entering the final quarter, the Panthers cut it to 47-45 when guard Karley Lampman stole the ball and made a pull-up jump shot at the other end.

But Lewis & Clark scored six consecutive points, all by wing Jeneva Anderson (12 points, eight rebounds). Snohomish never got any closer. Still, Panthers coach Ken Roberts was pleased with his team's effort.

"We were right there," Roberts said. "It was a good game. It could have gone either way."

Junior forward Katie Benson (20 points, four boards, two blocks) had a second-consecutive big game at the Tacoma Dome for Snohomish, which plays Western Conference North Division rival Lake Stevens (22-3) at 2 p.m. today in a loser-out consolation contest. The teams split their two-game regular-season series.

The winner will play in the fourth/seventh-place game on Saturday.

Snohomish is one of the most fundamentally sound teams Lewis & Clark has seen, Tigers coach Jim Redmon said.

"We respect their program. We knew going in that it was going to be tough," Redmon said.

In the first half, Benson scored 11 points and was 4-for-6 from the field, but Lewis & Clark led 32-28 by the intermission. Generating easy layins with their high-pressure, full-court defense, the Tigers expanded their lead to 44-34 through three quarters.

Snohomish made it interesting before fading in the final minute.

"We had enough" to win, Redmon said. "(But) I don't think anyone won tonight. I think we were just ahead when the clock ran out."

Snohomish committed 17 turnovers and was out-rebounded, 32-28, but Roberts applauded his team's effort so far in the tourney. The Panthers beat Bellarmine Prep 49-27 Wednesday in the first round.

"All you can ask is to come down and play your best basketball this time of year," Roberts said. "We have. We've played two really good basketball games."

Next up for Snohomish is a familiar foe, Lake Stevens, which lost 58-54 against Prairie earlier Thursday.

"We're ready to play them," said Guthrie, who made four 3-point shots and scored 14 points against Lewis & Clark. "We're pumped up."

At the Tacoma Dome

Snohomish 12 16 6 13 -- 47

Lewis & Clark 19 13 12 11 -- 55

Snohomish -- Guthrie 14, Lampman 5, Burns, Desmarais, Miller, Benson 20, Heard 2, Fairbanks, Scott 6. Lewis & Clark -- Burke 2, Woodruff, January 5, Anderson 12, Travis 9, Kennedy 11, Baker 8, Kliewer 8, Proctor. 3-point goals -- Guthrie 4, Lampman 1, Benson 2, January 1, Travis 3, Kliewer 1. Records -- Snohomish 20-6 overall. Lewis & Clark 27-0.

Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA