Girls hoops roundup: Junior’s clutch 3s send E-W to Tacoma Dome

Published 1:30 am Saturday, February 23, 2019

TACOMA — After being held scoreless heading into the game’s final minutes, Edmonds-Woodway junior Brooke Kearney came up big when the Warriors needed some clutch buckets.

The 5-foot-9 guard drilled the game-winning 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining and scored Edmonds-Woodway’s final seven points as the 15th-seeded Warriors (14-9) knocked off defending Class 3A state champion Gig Harbor in a loser-out state regional battle Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School.

“What a big win for us to knock off the defending state champs,” Edmonds-Woodway coach Jon Rasmussen said.

Kearney, who finished with seven points, gave Edmonds-Woodway a 45-42 lead with a triple with 1 minute remaining in regulation. Gig Harbor’s Brynna Maxwell, a University of Utah signee, answered with a 3-pointer of her own to tie, and Kearney came right back with the shot that sent her squad to the Tacoma Dome.

Maxwell had a chance to tie it back up at the buzzer, but a heavily-contested look from beyond the arc fell well short of the basket.

Senior Adrienne Poling scored nine of her team-high 24 points in the final period and hit four 3-pointers on the night for Edmonds-Woodway.

“She played an outstanding game both offensively and defensively,” Rasmussen said.

Maxwell scored a game-high 31 points for 10th-seeded Gig Harbor (17-8). The senior hit five 3s and sank all 10 of her free-throw attempts.

Rasmussen said that senior Rebekah Dasalla-Good shadowed Maxwell most of the game and made the 6-foot guard work for everything she got.

Edmonds-Woodway moves on to face No. 7 Bethel in an elimination game Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Tacoma Dome.

“It came down to the last minute,” Rasmussen said. “and our girls were patient and played well … We wanted to get to the dome and we did. I can’t be anymore proud of the girls.”

4A

Central Valley 59, Glacier Peak 44

SPOKANE — Fifth-seeded Glacier Peak came up short against No. 4 Central Valley (21-3) in non-elimination state regional contest at University High School.

The Grizzlies (20-3) take on 12th-seeded Chiawana on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome.

3A

Prairie 55, Arlington 46

BATTLE GROUND — Arlington fell behind 11-9 in the first quarter and trailed the rest of the way as top-seeded Prairie (22-2) proved too much for the Eagles in a non-elimination regional matchup at Battle Ground High School.

Sierra Scheppele led Arlington with 10 points.

Portland State University-bound Cassidy Gardner scored a game-high 25 points to lead the way for Falcons.

The eighth-seeded Eagles (17-6) play No. 9 West Seattle on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome.

2A

White River 49, Archbishop Murphy 41

PUYALLUP — Fifth-seeded Archbishop Murphy couldn’t overcome a 10-point halftime deficit after being outscored 21-9 in the second quarter of a non-elimination state regional matchup against No. 4 White River (24-3) on Saturday at Puyallup High School.

Kiana Yesiki led a trio of Wildcats (19-4) in double figures with 13 points.

Archbishop Murphy faces 13th-seeded Black Hills on Wednesday at the Yakima Valley SunDome in a loser-out matchup at 7:15 p.m.

1B

Riverside Christian 29, Grace Academy 26

MILL CREEK — Grace Academy’s historic season ended with a loss to Riverside Christian in a loser-out state regional Saturday afternoon at Jackson High School.

Caitlynn Bell scored 10 points for 16th-seeded Riverside Christian (13-8), which rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to advance to next week’s Hardwood Classic in Spokane Arena.

Ashley VanDam scored 13 points for Grace Academy (15-6), which was making its first-ever state appearance.