Kamiak girls headed to state
Published 11:16 pm Saturday, February 21, 2009
MARYSVILLE — Kelsey Patrick had a sleepless night Friday. There’s a good chance that she wasn’t able to sleep last night either.
Patrick scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Western Conference South Division No. 3-seeded Kamiak Knights to a 43-34 4A District 1 winner-to-state win over the Wesco North No.4-seeded Oak Harbor Wildcats in a game at Marysville-Pilchuck High School Saturday night.
Kamiak (16-6 overall) earned the second state berth of the night — Snohomish earned the first in an earlier game. It is Kamiak’s second state tournament appearance in school history.
The Knights last made the state tournament in 2002 and will face the Panthers for a chance to win their first 4A District 1 title at 6 p.m. next Saturday at Jackson High School.
“Four years…that’s all I have to say. Wow, I’m speechless,” the Pepperdine-bound forward and 4-year varsity player said.
Patrick scored eight of her 14 points during the Knights’ game-changing 15-2 second quarter.
“We’ve been working hard. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about the game, I just wanted it so bad. It’s our turn. It’s Kamiak’s turn,” Patrick said.
After an Oak Harbor bucket by Cori Henricksen opened up the second quarter, Kamiak pulled away by finishing off the half on a 15-0 run.
“It was a low scoring game on both ends. We did step up on defense. Give Oak Harbor credit they played defense too. They held to us one of our lowest point totals of the season,” second-year Kamiak head coach Jody Schauer said.
Oak Harbor made it interesting in the final quarter, cutting Kamiak’s once 19-point lead to 39-32 with just under two minutes to play.
Jessica Denmon scored nine of her game-high 15 points in the fourth quarter and teammate Jennifer Jansen added nine points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats, who face Edmonds-Woodway at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a loser-out game at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
After a slow start the Knights have peaked at the right time, winning 10 of their last 11 games.
Samantha Sovich added 10 points for the Knights.
“I’m proud of these girls. I’ve probably been a little harder on them but they know it’s not personal. I’m proud of their effort,” said Schauer, who is leading the Knights into their first 4A District title game.
At Marysville-Pilchuck H.S.
Oak Harbor821113—34
Kamiak815137—43
Oak Harbor-Tubo 0, Mowbray 6, Henricksen 2, Denmon 15, Abadesco 2, Fisken 0, Jansen 9. Kamiak-Sovich 10, Simmons 2, Barnes 2, Patrick 14, Kussman 4, Mahjoubian 0, Johnson 0, Lipscomb 7, Larson 2, McClaskey 2, Burns 0, Stephens 0. 3-pointers-Denmon 1, Sovich 2. Records-Oak Harbor 14-8 overall. Kamiak 16-6.
