T-O Awaits No. 1 Wishkah

T-O awaits No. 1 Wishkah Loose ball, missed shot, scramble, scramble, foul, shot, turnover, scramble, scramble … and just like that, well, close to it, the No. 1 ranked Wishkah Valley Loggers defeated the Davenport Gorillas Friday night at Spokane Falls Community College.

With their 55-49 semifinal win, the Loggers will play the upstart Tekoa-Oakesdale Nighthawks for the championship in the girls State B high school tournament tonight at 7 in the Coliseum.

The Nighthawks defeated the Manson Trojans 44-35 in the other semifinal.

For the first time since 1991, there will be no Davenport-St. George’s title game.

Instead, Davenport plays Manson for third and sixth places at 3 p.m. at Spokane Falls.

The Loggers (28-0) started the season ranked No. 1 and hope to finish that way.

With probably the biggest lineup in the state, the Loggers have clearly felt the pressure of being top-ranked.

Wishkah’s 6-foot-5 center, Sissel Pierce, mustered up some tears, thought about what was taking place and blurted out: “We just want it all. We’re going for everything.”

The biggest Gorilla poacher on the court was Loggers guard Melissa Bowen. Her 10-for-19 shooting from the floor for 23 points was the difference.

“We just tried to keep our focus as best we could this season to put ourselves in this position,” Bowen said.

Davenport’s 6-1 Jennifer Stinson did what she could to get her team back to the title game.

Against Pierce and a front line that averaged 6-2, Stinson scored a game-high 34 points. The rest of the Davenport (27-2) roster scored just 15. Andee Marriott scored nine and Joy Emery had six.

“I’m disappointed, but I’m not feeling terrible,” Stinson said. “We played a good game. They are a good team.”

Pierce said of Stinson: “She’s tough. Everyone knows she’s good. But she’s more phenomenal when you actually go up against her.”

Davenport coach Jim Stinson said it was Bowen’s play that made the difference.

“She stepped up and hit some big shots. I’ve got to give them credit for what they did,” Stinson said.

Bowen hit a shot to give her team the lead for good at 50-49 with 2 minutes remaining.

For the Nighthawks, they return to the championship game for the first time in four years when they won it.

As has been the case for most of the year, Tekoa-Oakesdale (23-9) beat Manson (23-3) using defensive pressure. T-O held the Trojans to five points in the second quarter and six points in the fourth.

“Coming into this thing, we thought we could get a trophy,” T-O coach John Jaeger said. “But I honestly didn’t think we could put ourselves in this position.”

The Nighthawks took the lead for good at 33-31 on a basket by Jennifer Hay with 6:30 remaining.

So one of the smallest teams in the tournament will take on the largest. Jaeger and assistants Mark Stinson and Katie Crider will no doubt be at it bright and early to get a jump on how to defend Wishkah.

“Right now, I don’t know what we’re going to do,” Jaeger said. “Talk about a David and Goliath-like game.”

If anyone knows where to find a few good stones and a slingshot, give Jaeger a call.

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