Dragons Fired Up By Draw

Jennifer Mountain doesn’t consider herself a lucky person, but her fortunes changed for at least 1 hour on Sunday morning.

Mountain’s St. George’s Dragons appeared to have fate behind them during a draw for pairings at the 54th WIAA/U.S. Bank boys State B basketball tournament.

The District 7 champion Dragons (24-2), riding a 20-game win streak, drew Tri-District No. 5 Orcas Island (16-8) during the annual proceedings at the Ridpath Hotel.

The Vikings, out of Eastsound on Orcas Island, had never qualified to state before Saturday’s loser-out win against Darrington (11-13). To reach the tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Arena, the Vikings must first catch a 7 a.m. Tuesday red-eye ferry to Anacortes.

“They gotta get on a ferry to get here,” said Mountain, a second-year coach, “and we’ve never done well when we get on ferries (to league rival Inchelium).”

Of the teams with legitimate title aspirations, St. George’s also appears to have the path of least resistance to the semifinals. An opening-game win would mean a Thursday quarterfinal against North Beach (22-4) or Summit (17-7).

Most of the tougher teams congregated in the lower bracket, especially in a group of four that will begin the opening-night’s session. Former champions Morton (15-9) and Northwest Christian (17-10) meet, followed by sixth-ranked Tacoma Baptist (20-6) and ‘90 champ Garfield-Palouse (20-5).

“We’re going to come out to get some hardware,” said NWC coach Danny Beard, whose ‘94 champion Crusaders were upset by Summit in last year’s opener. “We’ll do what we can to try to capitalize.”

Although District 9 champion GarPal drew a veteran team that placed last season, coach Tim Coles left the ballroom in higher spirits than last year. His Vikings opened the final tourney at the Coliseum against Toutle Lake, which ultimately advanced to the title game.

“This is better,” Coles said. “If you’re going to meet the power-houses it would be during the semifinals.”

Top-ranked Pateros (25-1) landed in the late game against Mabton (17-7). The Billygoats, staring at a potential quarterfinal matchup against fifth-ranked Almira/Coulee-Hartline (20-4), already own a win over the Warriors this year.

At the top of the brackets is third-ranked Toutle Lake (23-1), which opens against Clallam Bay (21-4) and ranks as a favorite for the semifinals.

Clallam Bay (1984) and Waitsburg (‘85) have missed the tourney for the longest time - not counting Orcas Island.

Asked to speculate how many years Orcas Island attempted to make state, coach Steff Steinhorst said in a faraway voice, “Many, many … many.”

This tournament will see other changes besides moving to the Arena. This biggest involves holding the girls tournament at the same site, rather than Spokane Falls Community College.

Thursday’s schedule has been altered, with all loser-out games during the morning and quarterfinals during the night.

Because five schools have qualified boys and girls teams, some could conceivably play at the same time in loser’s-bracket games. Officials will shift times if teams from the same school are in Friday’s semifinals or Saturday’s placing games.

All semifinals will be played on the boys (east) court, starting at 5. Boys semifinalists that have played late games during the first two days will be awarded the earlier semifinal.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Boys B lineup Wednesday’s openers. Games at Spokane Arena. 9 a.m.: Clallam Bay (21-4) vs. Toutle Lake (23-1) 10:30 a.m.: Waitsburg (16-8) vs. Kittitas (16-6) Noon: Orcas Island (16-8) vs. St. George’s (24-2) 1:30 p.m.: North Beach (22-4) vs. Summit (17-7) 5 p.m.: Morton (15-9) vs. Northwest Christian (17-10) 6:30 p.m.: Tacoma Baptist (20-6) vs. Garfield-Palouse (20-5) 8 p.m.: Almira/Coulee-Hartline (20-4) vs. La Conner (17-8) 9:30 p.m.: Mabton (17-7) vs. Pateros (25-1)