I took several chances when I filled out my brackets heading into this week’s district tournaments. So far they are not working out so well.
I picked the Meadowdale girls to win the district championship and they were eliminated from districts in two games. Friday night another one of my teams that I took a chance on had its own chance to help me out.
Again it didn’t happen.
I picked Edmonds-Woodway to upset Arlington and advance to regionals and the district championship game to play Jackson. For three quarters the Warriors looked as though they could pull off the feat. Then in the fourth quarter the Eagles did what they have been doing all season — closing teams out.
The difference in this game was just that. My boss, prep editor Aaron Swaney has said that in podcasts throughout the season. Good teams know how to close teams out.
Now I’m not going to withdrawl my endorsement of Edmonds-Woodway. I do still think they will be the team to advance out of the consolation side of the bracket. But closing teams out is what they have struggled with all season. They are still trying to figure out how to win the big game. They have all the talent to do it, but they are learning even with talent, it is tough to do against other good teams.
Arlington on the other hand has done it all year. They play from ahead. They play from behind. It really doesn’t matter, all they do is win.
The only blemishes on the Eagles’ record this season is a 14-point loss to Jackson and a loss to Mariner that nine times out of 10 probably wouldn’t happen.
So this is what I took from Friday’s game. I’m an idiot.
I have questioned Arlington and their ability to get to where they are all season and it appears I was dead wrong. This team is good and is now just one win away in the regional round from going to the Tacoma Dome.
As far as Edmonds-Woodway, as I said, I’m not backing off my endorsement. Although, the Warriors better figure out how to win the big games because for the rest of this tournament, one more loss means their season is over.
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