Below are capsules for this weekend’s high school basketball state regional games involving local girls teams.
The state regional round consists of 16 teams in each classification. Twelve teams in each classification advance from the regional round to next week’s Hardwood Classics in the Tacoma Dome (Class 4A and 3A), Yakima Valley SunDome (2A and 1A) or Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (2B and 1B).
For 3A only, there was a state play-in round involving seeds 13-20 that determined the final four teams in the 16-team state regional field.
Regional games involving seeds 1-8 are non-elimination contests, with both teams advancing to the Hardwood Classic. The reward for winning a non-elimination regional game is a bye into the state quarterfinals.
The other eight seeds play in loser-out regional contests, with the winners advancing to the first round of the Hardwood Classic.
The losers of the top-eight-seed regional games face the winners of bottom-eight-seed regional games in first-round Hardwood Classic matchups next Wednesday. The winners of those first-round contests advance to next Thursday’s state quarterfinals.
NOTE: All seeding references below are to state tournament seeds.
CLASS 4A
No. 4 Lake Stevens vs. No. 5 Eastlake
Baylor Thomas is one of four scorers who average in double digits for Lake Stevens. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
When: 8 p.m., Saturday
Where: Everett CC
Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round
Records: Lake Stevens 19-3, Eastlake 21-3
Recent history: This is a rematch of a 4A District 1/2 Tournament semifinal on Feb. 15, when sophomore Nisa Ellis hit a go-ahead jumper in the final minute to give Lake Stevens a 48-46 win that clinched a state berth.
About the Vikings: Lake Stevens cruised through the four-team Wesco 4A, compiled a strong non-league resume and advanced to the 4A District 1/2 Tournament title game. The Vikings are led by a talented senior quartet of double-digit scorers, including three Division I or Division II college recruits. West Virginia State signee Baylor Thomas leads the way with 15.4 points per game and is joined in the backcourt by do-everything Chloe Pattison. In the frontcourt, 6-foot-4 Camille Jentzsch and 6-foot-2 Cori Wilcox form an imposing duo of Eastern Washington signees and double-double machines. Jentzsch has been sidelined the past few weeks with a foot injury, but the Vikings overcame her absence to earn a pair of narrow bi-district wins and advance to state for the third time in the past four full-length seasons. As of last week, Jentzsch was nearing a return to action.
About the Wolves: Eastlake is making its fifth state appearance in the past six full-length seasons — and its first since winning the 4A state title in 2019. The Wolves, who started the season 15-0, took second place in the KingCo 4A Tournament behind 4A top-seeded Woodinville and placed third in the 4A District 1/2 Tournament behind Woodinville and Lake Stevens. Eastlake is led by 6-foot-2 junior forward Ava Schmidt, who averaged 15.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in the regular season. Sophomore guard Tatum Wood also averages nearly a double-double for the youth-laden Wolves, whose top five scorers are all either juniors or sophomores. Eastlake’s tough defense allows just 37.6 points per game and has held 20 of its 24 opponents to fewer than 50 points.
CLASS 3A
No. 3 Arlington vs. No. 6 Kelso
Jenna Villa (right) and Arlington went unbeaten in league and district play. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
When: 8 p.m., Friday
Where: Everett CC
Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round
Records: Arlington 18-2, Kelso 17-4
About the Eagles: With its high-pressure defense and lightning-quick pace, Arlington went a perfect 14-0 against Wesco 3A/2A opponents on the way to winning its league and district titles. The Eagles, who outscore opponents by 22.5 points per game and are 5-0 against 3A state tournament teams, are led by the talented one-two punch of 6-foot-2 junior guard Jenna Villa and senior guard Keira Marsh. Villa averages 21 points and nine rebounds per game and hit a school-record 10 3-pointers in a 34-point performance earlier this season. Marsh, a Cal State East Bay signee, adds 16 points per contest. Two years ago, Villa and Marsh were among the top three scorers on the 2020 Eagles team that placed third in the 3A state tournament. Arlington is making its seventh state appearance in the past nine full-length seasons.
About the Hilanders: Kelso won the Greater St. Helen’s League 3A title — its program’s first league championship since 2005 — and followed that by capturing the 3A District 3/4 Tournament crown. The Hilanders are led by Utah State University signee Natalie Fraley, who averages 23.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and five steals per game. The 6-foot senior point guard is coming off a pair of big bi-district tournament performances, with 35 points in a championship game rout of 3A No. 10 seed Auburn and 27 points in a semifinal win over 3A No. 13 seed Gig Harbor. Kelso is on a seven-game win streak and is seeking its second state quarterfinal appearance in program history.
No. 4 Lake Washington vs. No. 5 Snohomish
Ella Gallatin (right) leads Snohomish with 21 points per game. (Kevin Clark / The Herald )
When: 8 p.m., Friday
Where: Bellevue College
Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round
Records: Lake Washington 18-4, Snohomish 15-3
About the Kangaroos: Lake Washington, which reached the 3A state title game in 2020, is making its third consecutive state appearance. It’s been a massive turnaround for the Kangaroos, who experienced back-to-back two-win seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Lake Washington is led by the senior duo of point guard Rosa Smith and 6-foot-4 forward Elise Hani, who were the leading scorers on the 2020 state runner-up team as sophomores. Smith, a University of Idaho signee, averages 16.8 points and 4.1 assists per game. Hani, a University of Washington volleyball signee, is a force inside with 11.4 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per contest. The Kangaroos cruised through KingCo 3A and have won 11 of their past 12 games.
About the Panthers: After claiming three top-four state trophies in the past five full-length seasons, Snohomish is back at state once again. The Panthers, who went 8-1 in Wesco 3A/2A play, rebounded from a district semifinal loss to Stanwood by routing Mountlake Terrace in a loser-out game to advance to state. Snohomish is led by Eastern Washington University signee Ella Gallatin, who averages team highs in all five major statistical categories with 21 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Last month, the four-year starting guard tied a school record with 38 points in win over Lake Stevens. Junior guard Jada Andresen, senior guard Cheyenne Rodgers and freshman post Tyler Gildersleeve-Stiles complement Gallatin with at least eight points per contest apiece. All three of the Panthers’ losses were to 3A top-eight state seeds.
No. 2 Garfield vs. No. 7 Stanwood
Vivienne Berrett and Stanwood are coming off a district runner-up finish. (Kevin Clark / The Herald )
When: 4 p.m., Saturday
Where: Bellevue College
Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round
Records: Garfield 17-0, Stanwood 12-4
About the Bulldogs: The defending 3A state champions have been utterly dominant, rolling to a 17-0 record while outscoring opponents by 40.4 points per game. Garfield has won all but one contest by double digits and has topped 80 points three times, including a 111-2 rout early in the season. The Bulldogs are led by an elite backcourt duo of Division I college recruits in junior Malia Samuels and sophomore Katie Fiso. Samuels, a transfer from Eastside Catholic who led the Crusaders to a fifth-place 3A state trophy in 2020, is a four-star point guard who is ranked No. 50 nationally in her recruiting class by ESPN. Fiso, considered by ESPN as one of the top sophomore point guards in the nation, averages 22 points per game.
About the Spartans: After going 6-1 during a COVID-interrupted Wesco 3A/2A slate, Stanwood made a run to the 3A District 1 Tournament title game under first-year coach Alex Iverson. The Spartans are making their third state appearance in the past five full-length seasons and their first since 2018. Stanwood is led by 6-foot-4 junior post Vivienne Berrett, who averages 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Berrett was dominant in the Spartans’ district semifinal win over 3A No. 5 seed Snohomish, scoring 27 points in the state-clinching victory. Senior Ava Cook adds nine points per game, junior Tatum Brager scores eight points per game and junior guard Chloe Santeford provides lockdown defense to anchor a unit that allows just 42 points per contest.
No. 11 Everett vs. No. 14 Hermiston
Mae Washington and Everett are making the program’s first trip to state since 2013. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
When: 2 p.m., Saturday
Where: Everett CC
Implications: Winner to first round; loser out
Records: Everett 12-7, Hermiston 15-10
About the Seagulls: Under first-year coach Darrell McNeal, Everett is making its program’s first state appearance since 2013 and just its second state trip in the past 25 years. The Seagulls started 2-5 while facing a tough early schedule, but have since won 10 of their past 12 games. After going 6-2 in Wesco 3A/2A play and reaching the 3A District 1 Tournament semifinals, they bounced back from a hard-fought loss to Arlington and routed Meadowdale in a loser-out game to reach state. Four-year starter Ella Sylvester is Everett’s go-to scorer, while twin sophomore sisters Mae and Alana Washington anchor a stingy defense that allows just 40.5 points per game.
About the Bulldogs: This is the eastern Oregon school’s first state appearance since becoming a WIAA member in 2018-19. Hermiston joined the WIAA due to challenging travel logistics stemming from its lack of proximity to other Oregon schools. It’s been an up-and-down season for the Bulldogs, who compete in the multi-classification Mid-Columbia Conference. After starting 8-0, they lost eight of their next nine games. But they’ve bounced back to win six of their past eight, including a 3A state play-in victory over No. 19 seed Peninsula on Tuesday. Freshman guard Izzy Simmons led Hermiston with 19.6 points per game in the regular season and senior guard Katelyn Heideman added 13.7 points per contest.
CLASS 2A
No. 4 W.F. West vs. No. 5 Archbishop Murphy
When: 8 p.m., Friday
Where: Tumwater H.S.
Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round
Records: W.F. West 20-4, Archbishop Murphy 13-6
Recent history: This is the programs’ third meeting in the past five 2A state tournaments. W.F. West won the previous two matchups, beating the Wildcats in the 2018 state title game and the 2017 state quarterfinals.
About the Bearcats: W.F. West is making its 10th state appearance in the past 11 full-length seasons. The Bearcats are led by Pepperdine University signee and standout senior wing Drea Brumfield, who became the program’s all-time career scoring leader last month. Brumfield was dominant in W.F. West’s state-clinching rout of R.A. Long last week, totaling 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks with her team’s season on the line in a district loser-out game. The Bearcats’ three 2A losses were a pair of defeats to 2A No. 1 seed Tumwater and a narrow district semifinal loss to 2A No. 3 seed Hudson’s Bay.
About the Wildcats: After going 6-3 in Wesco 3A/2A play, Archbishop Murphy won the 2A District 1 Tournament title and earned its fourth state berth in the past five full-length seasons. The Wildcats’ path to the district crown included a semifinal win over 2A No. 12 seed Lynden and a 15-point championship game victory over 2A No. 8 seed Burlington-Edison. Archbishop Murphy features a balanced scoring attack led by impact freshman Ava Marr and senior guards Taylor Reed, Taylor Campbell and Hannah Humphrey. And on defense, the Wildcats hold opponents to just 42.4 points per contest. Each of Archbishop Murphy’s six losses have come to either 3A top-12 state seeds or 1A top-two state seeds.
CLASS 1B
No. 12 Grace Academy vs. No. 13 Cusick
When: 6 p.m., Friday
Where: Everett CC
Implications: Winner to first round; loser out
Records: Grace Academy 10-4, Cusick 15-5
About the Eagles: After making the program’s first-ever state regional appearance in 2019, Grace Academy looks to take the next step and earn its first-ever Hardwood Classic trip. The Eagles are coming off a third-place finish in the 1B District 1/2/3 Tournament. Senior wing Heidi Impola, who was the second-leading scorer on the historic 2019 team back when she was a freshman, averages a team-high 18.3 points per game. Sophomore guard Zia Fackenthal adds 12.5 points per contest.
About the Panthers: Cusick, from Pend Oreille County in northeastern Washington, is making its first state appearance since 2012. The Panthers went a perfect 12-0 in the Northeast 1B League. Senior forward Lania Thompson leads Cusick with 18.1 points per game. Her eighth-grade sister, Tameira Thompson, adds 12.8 points per contest. And senior Dalia Oliver averages a double-double in points and rebounds.
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