Meadowdale earns 14th state berth in 14 years
Published 10:06 am Thursday, March 5, 2009
MOUNT VERNON — Another season, another trip to the state tournament for the Meadowdale girls basketball team.
The Mavericks continued in their tradition of successful girls basketball earning their 14th* consecutive trip to the state tournament with a 55-45 victory over Ferndale in the title game of the 3A District 1 tournament at Mount Vernon High School on Wednesday night.
Junior Julia Fjortoft scored 11 points leading Meadowdale (19-5 overall) to the win over the Golden Eagles in a rematch of last year’s 3A District 1 title game, an upset victory for Ferndale.
“It feels great. I’m proud of this group of girls. Every year your team has to make it their team, obviously our tradition helps and the kids feel like they’re living up to the tradition, but on the other hand this group has gone through its own set of adversity,” first-year Meadowdale head coach Troy Parker said.
One of those adversities was playing without the senior leadership of Hanna Fjortoft, Julia’s older sister.
Before Wednesday night’s game the Mavericks dedicated their game to Hanna, who is out for the season after injuring her knee.
“Obviously injuries are a part of basketball but her injury was especially hard. They made a special effort tonight to with this game for No. 24,” Parker said.
And they showed that dedication by allowing Hanna Fjortoft to be the first Maverick to cut the first snippet off the net during postgame ceremonies.
“We wanted to do this for her. This is the game she got hurt in last year that ended her junior season, now she’s hurt again and its hard thing for her. Glad to go out and get the win,” sister Julia said, referring to last year’s 3A title game loss in which Hanna hurt her knee.
The Mavericks jumped out to an 18-11 first-quarter lead before allowing Ferndale to cut a 10-point second quarter lead to 22-21.
Meadowdale went scoreless for 5 minutes, 2 seconds in the second quarter but finished the half by scoring four straight.
“We went to a 2-3 zone and weathered the storm. I thought it was important for us to keep the lead at halftime. That was a key part of the game,” Parker said.
The Mavericks extended the lead to 17 early in the fourth quarter and never looked back.
Sophomore Dana Horn added 10 points for the Mavericks.
Horn came off the bench, spelling senior Anna Molitor who battled foul trouble while trying to guard Ferndale’s 6-foot-2 Ashley Honeycutt (12 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks).
“Huge,” Parker said of his sophomore post, “That was her best game of the year and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Ferndale (15-8) will face Mount Vernon Saturday at 6 p.m. at Mount Vernon High School in a winner-to-state game for the final 3A District 1 berth.
Erika Locker led Ferndale with 14 points.
At Mt. Vernon
Ferndale1110915—45
Meadowdale1891612—55
Ferndale—Sandusky 9, Hart 2, H. Locker 3, Nicolaas 2, E. Locker 14, Goode 3, Flores 0, Honeycutt 12. Meadowdale—Zickefoose 2, J. Fjortoft 11, Barhoum 2, Landa 0, Molitor 2, Beyer 8, M. O’Neill 5, Nugent 8, C. O’Neill 5, Horn 10. 3-pointers—Sandusky 1, H. Locker 1, E. Locker 1, Goode 1, J. Fjortoft 1, Beyer 1, M. O’Neill 1, C. O’Neill 1. Records—Ferndale 15-8 overall. Meadowdale 19-5.
Mount Vernon 56, Everett 45: At Mount Vernon, the Bulldogs ended Everett’s season and kept its season alive with a victory in a 3A District 1 loser-out game. Mount Vernon advances to play Ferndale in a winner-to-state game on Saturday at 6 p.m. Shelby Bell led Everett with 14 points. Kiki Espinoza led all scorers with 16 and Cheyenne Walker added 14 for the Bulldogs.
At Mt. Vernon
Everett813816—45
Mt. Vernon15171113—56
Everett—Hope 8, Sains 0, Antiojo 5, Letorneau 2, Bell 14, MacCormac 8, Peel 0, Burton 2, Olson 0, Taggart 3, Barhanovich 3. Mount Vernon—Walker 14, Squires 8, Welch 0, Keesee 0, Kutz 10, Evans 0, Carter 0, Noste 2, Barnet 6, Espinoza 16, Shilling 0.
