Medical Lake Finds Second’s Not So Bad Fans, Firetrucks, Police Cars Welcome Cardinals Home
A day later, second place didn’t seem so bad.
“It was tough last night,” Medical Lake coach Dave Olzendam said Sunday, a day after his Cardinals lost in the title game of the boys State A high school basketball tournament in Tacoma. “But as the days go on, I think they’ll really appreciate what they accomplished.”
Already appreciative were the dozens of supporters who turned out at the high school Sunday afternoon, when the team bus arrived. The bus was near the front of a 50-car procession that also included three firetrucks and a couple of police cars. Sirens and horns could be heard for blocks.
“Number two in the state, number one in our hearts,” one fan screamed, as seniors Joe Deutsch, Randy Moffatt, T.J. Fishhaber and Chris Verstrate stepped off the bus with the rest of the Cardinals.
Saturday night’s 69-59 loss to Cashmere seemed far away. Medical Lake, trailing 15-0 in the game’s first 4 minutes, was kidding around now.
Moffatt jokingly took credit for a lucky shot. Trapped in the corner as the first quarter ended, his fadeaway found the net despite clipping the top corner of the backboard.
“I just threw it up,” the 5-foot-11 guard said. “Actually, you know, I saw it perfect. I planned it that way. Right off the corner. I called it - I said, ‘Glass!”’
Olzendam took time between handshakes to thank his seniors, Deutsch in particular. “Joe Deutsch - there’s so much I could say about him. He’s made me look awful good for four years.”
How good was Deutsch this season? Saturday night’s line tells the story - 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. The 6-4 forward was the No. 4 scorer (18.3 points per game) and top rebounder (14.5 rpg) at the tournament.
Junior guard Lemar Bailey, whose four-point play pulled ML within striking range late, turned an eye toward next year. “It gives us a goal for next year,” he said, “to hopefully go back and do the same thing.”
With a slightly different ending.