ARLINGTON
For most of us there are two certainties — death and taxes.
For the Meadowdale Mavericks girls basketball team and their fans, it’s death, taxes and a trip to the state tournament.
The Mavericks clinched a trip to the Class 3A state tournament with a 54-34 victory over the Ferndale Golden Eagles in a 3A District 1 tournament game at Arlington High School on Feb. 28.
The trip to state will continue Meadowdale’s remarkable streak of 12 straight tournament appearances — the last two coming in the Class 4A classification — and an incredible run of 13 trips in the last 14 seasons.
“This program has had a solid foundation and succeeded,” second-year Meadowdale head coach Dan Taylor said.
Ahead by just three going into halftime, the Mavericks (24-0 overall) out-scored the Golden Eagles 9-1 in third quarter to pull away from Ferndale.
Meadowdale held the Golden Eagles without a field goal the entire third quarter.
The Mavericks also came out in the third quarter quiet, not scoring until 3:56 remained in the quarter.
“I think nerves got us because everyone realizes that this is the district championship and whoever wins is going to state,” Taylor said.
Meadowdale’s Marelle Moehrle ended the quarter on a 5-0 run and Meadowdale opened up a comfortable 36-25 lead.
Ferndale went as cold as Wednesday’s surprising weather, not making a field goal until 4:05 in the fourth quarter, a span of 11 minutes, 55 seconds.
Meanwhile the Mavericks used the fourth quarter to prove why they are one of the top teams in the state.
Moehrle scored seven of her game-high 26 points in the fourth and Meadowdale used a 18-9 quarter in registering the win.
The first half was anything but easy for the Mavericks, as Ferndale showed they could run with the Mavs.
“Ferndale is a very tough team, well-coached with strong athletes. They brought it, they brought everything tonight,” Taylor said.
Behind Moehrle’s 11 first quarter points the Mavericks took a 16-15 lead after one quarter and led 27-24 at halftime.
Junior Eryn Jones added 10 points and Danica Coronacion added seven rebounds for Meadowdale, which heads into this week’s Class 3A state tournament as one of the favorites to win it all.
“We’ve got a bulls-eye on our back but we’ll take it one game at a time. We’ve got a whole week to prepare and it will be good to relax,” Taylor said.
Ashley Honeycutt led Ferndale with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Kevin Johnson writes for The Herald in Everett.
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