Kamiak makes history

Published 11:13 pm Thursday, March 5, 2009

TACOMA — Having lost by 34 points the day before and then trailing Mount Tahoma 18-4 in the early minutes of Thursday’s consolation game, it was starting to look like the Kamiak girls did not belong in the Class 4A state basketball tournament.

But the Knights definitely did belong and they proved it with a 55-51 comeback victory that was both stirring and historic.

First the history part. According to Kamiak coach Jody Schauer, Thursday’s win was the first for the school’s girls basketball team at the state tournament. Kamiak’s only other state tourney appearance in 2002 ended with two losses in two games.

“We just wanted to make history for our school today,” Schauer said. “To get our first win in school history, that was pretty exciting for our girls.”

The outcome also showed a little something about the team’s character and heart. Kamiak dug itself a huge early hole with poor shooting and porous defense and spent the rest of the first half trying to erase the deficit. The Knights trailed 29-23 at the break.

“I challenged the seniors at halftime that they needed to step up and lead us home,” Schauer said. “It was basically do or die at that point, and I think they bounced back from that pretty good.”

The Knights finally went on top for the first time midway through the third quarter on a layin by guard Samantha Sovich. The game was close the rest of the way, though Sovich put Kamiak in front to stay with 51 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter with a shot from left of the key.

“I’m really proud of them for coming back,” Schauer said of his players. “That’s a huge credit to the heart of our girls. They just showed a lot of resilience and battled back, and I’m really proud of the way we finished the game.”

Kamiak will face Spokane’s Lewis and Clark at 12:30 p.m. today in another loser-out consolation game. The winner will advance to Saturday’s game for fifth and eighth places.

Sovich and guard/forward Kelsey Patrick led Kamiak with 12 points. Sovich also had six steals and Patrick snagged 17 rebounds.

Freshman guard Erika Larson scored eight points and twice attacked the basket late in the third quarter, drawing the third and fourth fouls on Mount Tahoma’s best player, forward Carrie Ojeda. Ojeda was on the bench as Kamiak continued its rally and was largely a non-factor in the game’s remaining minutes.

“(Larson) was huge,” Schauer said. “She’s pretty fearless for a freshman.”

At the Tacoma Dome

Mount Tahoma227715—51

Kamiak8151715—55

Mount Tahoma—K. Magalei 8, L. Magalei 3, Davis 4, Williams 16, Rambo 0, Johnson 0, Ojeda 15, Mamea 3, Reed 0, Banks 2, Williamson 0. Kamiak—Sovich 12, Simmons 4, Barnes 2, Patrick 12, Burns 0, Kussman 3, Mahjoubian 0, Johnson 0, Stevens 0, Lipscomb 9, Larson 8, McClaskey 5. 3-point goals—L. Magalei 1, Williams 1, Mamea 1, Sovich 1, Kussman 1, Lipscomb 1, Larson 1.