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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Lakeside Rips Cwa, But Can Empathize

Bob Coleman Correspondent

The Lakeside girls basketball team could empathize with Charles Wright Academy, its opponent in the first round of the girls Class A high school tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

Wednesday marked the first appearance for the Tarriers in the state tournament. Lakeside was in the same position last year and was eliminated before the trophy round. The year’s experience paid off against Charles Wright.

The Eagles (22-3) stormed off to a 53-25 win and face Ilwaco (20-1) today at noon in the quarterfinals. Charles Wright (16-8) falls to the losers’ bracket to take on Zillah (15-10).

Even though Lakeside coach Lisa Schultz knew her team would come out with some confidence from last year’s visit to state, she didn’t want to put too much pressure on her team.

“A couple of those older kids weren’t nearly as nervous as they were last year,” Schultz said. “A couple came out really calm.”

That calm didn’t translate into a smooth offense, at least not to begin with. The Eagles didn’t lose their poise, despite hitting just 9 of 33 shots in the first half.

“It doesn’t matter if the ball goes in for us,” Schultz told her team, “just so it doesn’t go in for them.”

It didn’t.

Charles Wright made just 4 of 20 shots in the first half and was trailing 27-13 at the break.

While the offense wasn’t working, Lakeside concentrated on defense. The Eagles pressured the Tarrier guards. Charles Wright committed 34 turnovers, including 14 by starting point guard Sarah Tommervik.

“We just panicked,” Tarriers coach Larry Berg said. “Our guards should have a little more poise than what they showed.”

Lakeside, on the other hand, gave the ball away just 20 times, and no starter turned the ball over more than twice.

Lora and Brianne Jolley topped the Eagles with 11 points each. Brianne came off the bench to lead the team with 10 rebounds.

Charles Wright’s leading scorer, Molly Wilcox, was held to 11 points, almost six less than her average.

Lakeside 53, Charles Wright 25

Charles Wright 9 4 5 7 - 25

Lakeside 12 15 16 10 - 53

CHARLES WRIGHT (25) - Bates 4, Peck 3, Tommervik 1, Turner, Wilvox 11, Veliz, Lee, Tapp, Meyer, Wilcox 6, Batiste, Wesley.

LAKESIDE (53) - Waddell 4, K. Rowse 4, Traber 4, L. Jolley 11, Guenther 8, Eastwood 4, B. Rowse 5, Hatch 2, B. Jolley 11, Schumacher, Long.

East Valley (Yak.) 63, Riverside 35

The Rams are another first-time visitor to the state tournament, and it showed.

“The first half, we were a little lethargic and we were intimidated,” Riverside coach Chris Wren said.

It didn’t help that the Rams (19-6) were up against the only undefeated team in the tournament. The Red Devils (24-0) also post up with 6-foot-2 Jenny Frank, who averages 19.6 points.

Frank dominated early with nine of the Red Devils’ first 11 points. She finished with a game-high 26. Her first three baskets came off three of her 15 rebounds.

The Riverside post players were held to one point.

Riverside 10 9 10 6 - 35

East Valley 23 16 19 5 - 63

RIVERSIDE (35) - Carlander 13, Thompson 6, Day, Stime 6, Wood 4, Snyder 2, Whittekiend, Shorts 3, Peterson 1, McMurphy.

EAST VALLEY (63) - Heintz, Sharp 7, Lay 18, Stecker 6, Frank 26, Decclo 4, Sybouts, Seibel, Chauvin 2, Ray.