Meadowdale girls rally for one-point win

Published 11:11 pm Wednesday, March 11, 2009

TACOMA — Already facing the proposition of competing in the Class 3A state tournament without one Fjortoft, the Meadowdale High School girls basketball team spent most of Wednesday morning’s opener without two.

Junior Julia Fjortoft, who was trying to help make up for the loss of leading scorer and older sister, Hanna Fjortoft, to a season-ending injury, was slowed by foul trouble during a first-round game against Auburn Mountainview. She played just six minutes in the first half, with two fouls and two turnovers marking her only statistics.

Fortunately for the Mavericks, she came to play when it mattered most.

Paced by a strong bench performance and the late heroics of the younger Fjortoft, Meadowdale rallied to beat Auburn Mountainview 40-39 and advance to today’s quarterfinal round. The Mavericks (20-4) face Enumclaw today at 3:30 p.m., with a trip to the state semifinals on the line.

For that, Meadowdale can thank the only Fjortoft in uniform Wednesday.

The junior guard scored her only basket of the game with 1:42 remaining, driving to the basket for a layup that gave the Mavericks a 38-37 lead, an advantage they would hold the rest of the way. Fjortoft added a nifty pass to teammate Dana Horn for a short baseline shot and 40-37 lead 40 seconds later, then she clinched the win by scooping up a loose-ball rebound in the final second.

“We’re very fortunate to have her,” Meadowdale coach Troy Parker said afterward. “When her sister got hurt, (Julia) really took the challenge on. She’s played her best basketball since her sister got injured.

“Even though this wasn’t her best game, in the end she made the big play.”

Fjortoft, who finished with four fouls and just two points in 15 minutes of action, said the lack of playing time affected her performance.

“It’s more fun when you’re a part of it,” she said. “The first half was not my best half. I got some early fouls, and it was hard for me not to get frustrated.”

While Fjortoft made the plays when it most counted, the Mavericks would have had no chance at all had it not been for the Meadowdale bench.

Reserves Anna Molitor (a team-high nine points) and Bianca Landa (seven) led a bench that actually outscored the Meadowdale starters 22-18 on Friday.

“Thankfully, the bench really rallied to the cause,” Parker said.

Molitor scored seven consecutive Meadowdale points during a third-quarter spurt that saw the Mavericks open up a 29-26 lead.

But Auburn Mountainview (14-9) came right back, taking a 35-31 lead with 6:10 remaining in the game. The Lions held a 37-36 lead with two minutes to go when Fjortoft took over.

She said seeing her sister on the bench — Hanna suffered a knee injury last month and is out for the season — helped inspire Fjortoft to close the deal.

“It’s her senior year,” Julia Fjortoft said. “She’s been to the state tournament four times now, but this year is different. I really want to finish strong for her.”

Parker was just happy to have one Fjortoft when it mattered most.

“Julia Fjortoft is as good a playmaker as any player I’ve ever coached,” he said. “Julia usually makes five to six plays a half that not many kids can make.”

At the Tacoma Dome

Auburn Mountainview1010109—39

Meadowdale614119—40

Auburn Mountainview — Al-Nakib 0, Lombardo 0, Huners 9, Herren 0, Braboy 5, Wills 6, Pele 4, Smolinski 8, Carr 7, Harrison 0. Meadowdale — Zickefoose 0, J. Fjortoft 2, Barhoum 0, Landa 7, Molitor 9, Beyer 7, M. O’Neill 4, Horn 2, Nugent 6, C. O’Neill 3. 3-point goals — Carr 1, Landa 1, Beyer 1, C. O’Neill 1. Records — Auburn Meadowdale 15-8 overall. Meadowdale 20-5.