Draw Splits Top Two Teams

The No. 1 ranked team in the state on one side of the bracket and the No. 2 team on the opposite side.

What a neat concept.

When the Girls State B Tournament gets under way at the Arena on Wednesday, top-ranked and unbeaten St. John-Endicott Eagles (24-0) won’t be on the same side of the bracket as second-ranked Wishkah Valley (24-1).

If the two meet, it won’t be until the championship game Saturday night.

“We’ve got to play Kittitas first before worrying about anybody else though,” Eagles coach Lorin Carlon said.

The Eagles will take on the Coyotes (19-5) on Wednesday at 5 p.m. The winner will face the winner of the Darrington (17-6)-Reardan (17-7) contest which starts at 6:30 p.m.

If St. John-Endicott and Reardan both advance, the two squads will meet for the third time this season. The Eagles won both previous contests.

As for Wishkah Valley, the defending champion Loggers play Mount Vernon Christian (20-7) at 1:30 p.m.

“A draw is a draw. Sooner or later, you’ve got to play somebody tough,” said Wishkah Valley coach Rick McDougall. “For all I know, Mount Vernon Christian could be the greatest thing since sliced bread.”

To start the day at 9 a.m., Spokane native Jay Henderson will lead his Morton Huskies (18-7) against third-ranked Wilbur-Creston (22-2).

That game ought to feature exciting matchups inside between Morton’s duo of Sarah Coleman and April Kenny vs. W-C’s Jessica Martin and Mindy Bandy.

Coleman is a 5-foot-10 senior who averages 24 points a game and Coleman is a 6-footer averaging 12 a game. Martin, a 6-foot senior, is averaging 18 a game while Bandy, a 5-9 junior, averages 12 a game.

In last year’s tournament, Coleman was the second-leading scorer behind Jennifer Stinson and was the fourth-leading rebounder. Martin was fifth in scoring and third in rebounding. Both were first-team tournament selections.

“We’ll find out more about them as the week moves on,” Wilbur-Creston coach Steve Jantz said. “But I do know that they have a solid inside game.”

At 10:30 a.m., Summit (19-4) will take on Sunnyside Christian (21-5), and at noon, Pomeroy (19-5) will face Clallam Bay (19-4).

At 8 p.m., St. George’s (20-7) will take on Kings West (18-6) and in the final game of the day on Wednesday, Rainier (19-5) will go up against Waterville (22-1) at 9 p.m.

St. George’s coach Ross Thomas said he felt like he “was on top of the world” after he took a look at the favorable bracket that his Dragons were placed in.

“It’s at least an A-,” Thomas said. “Every non-No. 1 seed’s hope is to get some winnable games early in the tournament. I think we’ve got a good chance to advance.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Girls B lineup Wednesday’s openers. Games at Spokane Arena. 9 a.m.: Morton (18-7) vs. Wilbur-Creston (22-2) 10:30 a.m.: Summit (19-4) vs. Sunnyside Christian (21-2) Noon: Pomeroy (19-5) vs. Clallam Bay (19-4) 1:30 p.m.: Mt. Vernon Christian (20-7) vs. Wishkah Valley (24-1) 5 p.m.: Kittitas (19-5) vs. St.John-Endicott (24-0) 6:30 p.m.: Darrington (17-6) vs. Reardan (17-7) 8 p.m.: St. George’s (20-7) vs. King’s West (18-6) 9:30 p.m.: Rainier (19-5) vs. Waterville (22-1)