EDMONDS — Trailing by one with eight seconds to go, Senior Tate Budnick was fouled and hit both free throws to give Edmonds Woodway a 55-54 win over Mount Vernon Thursday night.
After being knocked out of districts by Mount Vernon last season, the Warriors started the night with a high energy and led by five points after the first quarter. But a 13-point quarter by Mount Vernon’s Miles Witt cut the Woodway led to just one at halftime.
“He was in a zone tonight,” Edmonds Woodway head coach Steve Call said of Witt. “We threw a couple different looks at him, but he hit some deep threes.”
The lead changed multiple times in the second half until Budnick’s free throws sealed the game in the final seconds. Witt was held to just five points in the second half, and with senior Casey Leek fouling out with a minute to go, the Bulldogs were unable to score on their final possession.
Edmonds Woodway senior Travis Bakken was held to just six points on the night, but fellow senior Theo Lebesis scored 10 points to pick up his absensce in the paint.
After his team struggled with turnovers the past few games, coach Call made sure the Warriors knew it was an emphasis to take care of the ball all week. The Warriors finished with just 7 turnovers on the night.
“We slowed it down a little bit more tonight,” Call said. “Turnovers had been a problem for us so that had been our focus in practice all week.”
Senior Jason Smarr, a regular starter, came off the bench and finished with 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the way for the Warriors. Witt (17) and Casey Leek (13) both scored in double figures for Mount Vernon in the loss.
The win improves Edmonds Woodway to 5-3 in league play, good for second place in the Wesco 4A South division.
At Edmonds Woodway H.S.
Mount Vernon12171114—54
Edmonds Woodway17131114—55
Mount Vernon—Robert Monroe 7, Melvin Walser 8, Justin Morrison 2, Chris Bell 7, Miles Witt 17, Casey Leek 13, Todd Allen 0. Edmonds Woodway—Trey Holland 4, Jordan Rice 0, Brady Edwards 6, Tate Budnick 12, Antonio Sherrill 2, Theo Lebesis 10, Jason Smarr 15, Travis Bakken 6, Chukwuma Okereke 0. 3-point goals—Bell 1, Witt 2, Budnick 2. Records—Mount Vernon 4-4 league, 7-7 overall. Edmonds Woodway 5-3, 6-7.
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