MILL CREEK — Lake Stevens came in as the No. 1 seed from the Western Conference and the Vikings played like it on Friday night, pulling away from Kentwood in the second half for an emphatic 61-44 girls 4A state regional basketball victory at Jackson High School.
The victory sends Lake Stevens on to the three-day state finals next weekend at the Tacoma Dome. It will be the Vikings’ fifth trip to the dome in Randall Edens’ five seasons as the team’s head coach.
Lake Stevens went ahead to stay midway through the second period on a pair of free throws by guard Brooke Pahukoa, but the Vikings didn’t take control of the game until the third period. Leading 30-26 at halftime, they opened the quarter with eight unanswered points for a double-digit margin they never lost.
Kentwood managed just five points in the period, all from the free-throw line.
Lake Stevens padded its lead in the fourth quarter, reaching a high of 20 (57-37) late in the period. The Conquerors managed to trim the final deficit to 17 points at the closing horn.
The Vikings were very good defensively, holding Kentwood to just 35.4 percent from the field (17-for-48) and forcing 19 turnovers.
Lake Stevens had four players in double-figure scoring, led by forward Meghan Warbis with 16. Warbis added 11 rebounds and five steals.
Pahukoa scored 14 points, forward Abby Molstre contributed 12 points and guard Katie Goddard chipped in 10.
At Jackson H.S.
Kentwood 14 12 5 13 — 44
Lake Stevens 16 14 14 17 — 61
Kentwood—J. Johnson 0, Huerta 17, Toeaina 2, Wynne 4, Rankin 2, C. Johnson 9, Mills 10. Lake Stevens—Goddard 10, Puha 0, Ziskovsky 0, Warbis 16, Wilson 0, Burke 2, Molstre 12, Brittney Pahukoa 7, Brooke Pahukoa 14. 3-point goals—Huerta 2, C. Johnson 1, Goddard 2, Warbis 1, Brittney Pahukoa 1. Records—Kentwood is 19-7. Lake Stevens is 21-3.
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