Lake Stevens comes up empty in fourth quarter

Published 10:37 am Friday, March 5, 2010

TACOMA — One day after a disheartening loss in their 4A state boys basketball tournament opener, the Lake Stevens Vikings saw their season come to a painful, premature end on Thursday in a 52-45 consolation-bracket loss to Mead at the Tacoma Dome.

Lake Stevens led for much of the game, but a prolonged fourth-quarter scoring drought saw the Vikings fall into a late hole they couldn’t escape. Mead, a Spokane school, eased in front midway through the final period and protected its margin at the free throw line in the closing seconds.

“This stings today,” said Lake Stevens coach Mark Hein, whose team finished with an 18-7 record. “It’s a disappointment, but I’m certainly not disappointed in their effort or the way they prepared to get here.”

With back-to-back tourney defeats — the Vikings fell to Eastlake on Wednesday, 69-48 — Lake Stevens failed to place at state after finishing eighth a year ago.

“One of our aspirations was to trophy here,” Hein said, “and that’s just a stinging thing for these kids right now.”

Lake Stevens had a hard time matching up against Mead’s inside tandem of 6-foot-6 center Taylor Farnsworth and 6-6 forward Aaron Dunn. Farnsworth had eight points and 10 rebounds, and Dunn was even better with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Collectively, the Panthers finished with a commanding 50-27 edge in rebounds.

“We just got pounded on the glass,” Hein said. “That was the difference in the game. … And Dunn was exceptional.”

Thursday’s game was the last for nine Lake Stevens seniors. Backup center Lorin Vandergrift, a sophomore, is the team’s only underclassmen.

“This is our senior group,” said guard Mike Schneider. “We’ve grown up together. We’ve hung out. We’re best friends.”

For Hein, “the saddest part is that I won’t be around them as much,” he said. “I love them. I’ve developed really close connections with these senior guys and I have a deep appreciation for them as kids and also as players.

“A few years ago, the state tournament was not even a part of the conversation around here. They’ve helped elevate the program to where it is. They’ve invested a lot and they’ve sacrificed a lot, and I’m just really proud of them.

“We’re going to miss them around here,” he said.

At Tacoma Dome

Lake Stevens717101145

Mead1012131752

Lake StevensIsaksen 2, Schneider 3, Hanson 8, Maw 13, Kaska 19. MeadMyers 2, Tully 5, Kayser 6, Dunn 22, Beck 2, Fransworth 8, Swanson 7. 3-point goalsMaw 3, Kaska 3, Hanson 2, Swanson 1. RecordsLake Stevens is 18-7. Mead is 20-7.