MONROE — The Snohomish girls basketball team built a big lead early in its game against Monroe.
And the Panthers needed every point of it down the stretch.
The Bearcats fought back from a 17-point deficit and got to within three, but Snohomish held off Monroe in the final seconds to win 45-42 Friday night at Monroe High School and take sole possession of first place in Wesco 4A.
“We came out great. The beginning of the game was awesome,” Snohomish head coach Ken Roberts said. “But they took it to us some in the second half. … They’re a good team. Playing over here with that crowd and that energy is tough. And the start we had was awesome and that kind of carried us through the rest of the game.”
Snohomish opened the game with two quick 3-pointers by Katie Brandvold and Madison Pollock and led 19-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Panthers’ biggest lead, 26-9, came early in the second quarter before the Bearcats went on an 11-0 run to get the deficit back to single digits before halftime.
The third quarter became a defensive battle, with both teams scoring just six points apiece, before Monroe made a final push in the fourth. All four of the Bearcats’ fourth-quarter field goals were from beyond the 3-point arc and Monroe added four more points from the free-throw line in the final period, getting to within three points with 2:12 remaining.
“Monroe really, really played hard,” Roberts said. “We got a lead and, it’s one of those things where you kind of want to start taking time off the clock a little bit and they’re pressing like crazy. Then you get tentative. We’ve got to do a better job down the stretch.
“We had chances to put the game away and we didn’t do it.”
Monroe head coach Ashley Tuiasosopo attributed the rough start to nerves. Both teams came into Friday night’s contest undefeated in league and looking to get a leg up on a possible league title.
“Snohomish is a good team,” Tuiasosopo said. “They’re a storied team, they’ve been to state. So, they kind of know how to handle these games. My girls, we’re getting there. I think in the first quarter they just had some jitters they had to get out. Once they got them out they realized they can contend like Snohomish does and everything settled in.”
Snohomish senior forward Madeline Smith led all scorers with 17 points and added 10 rebounds in the contest. Pollock scored nine points and grabbed nine rebounds and Brandvold added 11 for the Panthers.
It was the third consecutive game Brandvold has put up big numbers from 3-point range.
“We knew it would come,” Roberts said. “She hit four in the previous two games. She’s starting to shoot it well. With teams focusing on Madison and Maddie inside, Katie’s able to get some pretty good looks outside and she’s been making them.”
Junior Jadynn Alexander led Monroe’s effort with 14 points, six rebounds and five steals. Corrina Roppo and Emily Donnelly added seven points apiece and Hannah Drivstuen netted six in a balanced scoring effort for the Bearcats.
“I just think it’s one of those team games. Everyone had to step up and play good tonight and we did,” Tuiasosopo said. “Obviously, that first quarter was rough, but overall, the team came together and got it going.”
The Panthers and Bearcats feature contrasting styles, with Snohomish looking to get the ball into Smith in the post and Monroe utilizing its speed and 3-point shooting.
“They’ve got two power players down there so we expect them to pound it in down there,” Tuiasosopo said. “We’ve got some athletes that we want to put in positions where they will succeed. They like to be out in space where they can use their skills.”
“I told our girls, ‘They’re more athletic than us, honestly, out on the perimeter,’” Roberts said. “‘But we have some bigs that are going to be tough for them to take care of.’”
Both teams came into the game riding impressive winning streaks. Snohomish (7-0 league, 10-3 overall) earned its 10th consecutive victory after the Panthers lost their first three games of the season and the loss was the first for Monroe (6-1, 8-4) in its last eight games.
The Bearcats are already looking forward to the rematch with the Panthers in both teams’ regular-season finale on Feb. 8 at Snohomish.
“I think our girls learned and now they know what it’s like to be there,” Tuiasosopo said. “I’m just happy for my girls and proud of them for where they’re at right now. They fought back against a really tough team. Hats off to Snohomish. It should be a fun one the next time we see them.”
At Monroe H.S.
Snohomish 19 10 6 10 —45
Monroe 7 13 6 16 —42
Snohomish—Katie Brandvold 11, Maya DuChesne 0, Shaylee Harwood 4, Madison Pollock 9, Madeline Smith 17, Kyra Beckman 4, Ellie Flitsch 0. Monroe—Kat Ragus 0, Corrina Roppo 7, Kittra Evenson 3, Jadynn Alexander 14, Emily Donnelly 7, Katie Piland 0, Abby Hunt 3, Hannah Drivstuen 6, Monique Fierke 2. Records—Snohomish 7-0 league, 10-3 overall. Monroe 6-1, 8-4.
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