Panthers qualify for state

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, February 17, 2007

MARYSVILLE – The Snohomish Panthers are returning to the Class 4A state girls basketball tournament, but not without a little blood, sweat and tears.

Snohomish earned the state berth with a physical 41-38 come-from-behind victory over the Monroe Bearcats in a District 1 game at Marysville-Pilchuck High School Saturday night.

“We’re pretty inexperienced and for the kids to be down and have the courage to come back, was pretty good,” Snohomish head coach Ken Roberts said.

The Panthers – who start three sophomores, a freshman and a senior – will return to state after a one-year hiatus.

Snohomish finished second at state in 2005.

The Panthers entered the fourth trailing 33-27 but used a 10-0 run to begin the quarter.

Allison Burns two free throws tied the game at 33 and Karley Lampman’s scoop shot from under the basket gave the Panthers their first lead at 35-33. Snohomish would never look back.

Lampman, a sophomore, led all scorers with 11 points. Burns added 10 for the Panthers and Shante Scott pulled in eight rebounds.

After playing a zone defense the first three quarters, Snohomish switched it up to a man-on-man defense.

The strategy worked as the Panthers held the Bearcats without a field goal for the first 6:46 of the fourth quarter and outscored Monroe 14-5 in the quarter.

“The kids really did a good job defensively all game,” Roberts said.

Monroe jumped out to an 11-3 first quarter lead and entered the half leading 24-19.

“Monroe is so quick, so athletic. They’re hard to defend because they are so fast. I thought our team did a good job of staying in front of them,” Roberts said.

Things went awry in the second half for the Bearcats.

Monroe missed four straight free throw attempts in the third quarter and with 2:48 to play standout point guard Sarah Morton was accidentally elbowed in the mouth by teammate Brittany Matkins.

Morton, a University of Washington recruit, left the game with a bloody lip and didn’t return until 6:15 was left in the fourth quarter.

The Bearcats turned cold in the fourth quarter going scoreless in the first 4:28 of the quarter.

“We could’ve played better. It was a very physical game and we didn’t play that way. Their kids played hard and battled back,” Monroe head coach Alan Dickson said.

Keena Hopkins scored nine points and Morton and Kayla Wangner added eight.

Chelsea Drivstuen had 12 rebounds for the Bearcats.

It was the third meeting between these two teams this season. They split their regular season meetings, with both teams winning on each other’s home floor.

Snohomish (15-7) will face Jackson for the 4A District championship on Saturday at Jackson High School.

Monroe (16-6) faces Mountlake Terrace Wednesday night at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

At Marysville-Pilchuck H.S.

Snohomish316814-41

Monroe111395-38

Snohomish – Ekness 5, Lampman 11, Burns 10, Benson 6, Yates 1, M. Heard 6, Scott 2.

Monroe – Thomas 3, Morton 8, C. Drivstuen 5, Hopkins 9, Matkins 5, Wangner 8.

3-point goals – Ekness 1, Lampman 1, Thomas 1, C. Drivstuen 1, Matkins 1.