Good Snooze: Mead, Ferris Win

The alarm clock went off for the Mead Panthers, but they didn’t wake up until after hitting the snooze button a few times.

The state-veteran Panthers scored two quick baskets, then proceeded to doze while upstart Eastlake reeled off 16 straight points. Finally, Stacy Clinesmith and Holly Turner responded to the alarm, allowing the Panthers to catch the Wolves by halftime and roll to a 60-49 victory in the first game of the State AAA girls basketball tournament Wednesday morning.

The Ferris defense never let Enumclaw get anywhere near the alarm clock, and Karie Pruett sparked the offense, charging to a 43-24 win in the third game at Mercer Arena. Enumclaw, a State AA power until this season, tied the tournament record for lowest losing score.

The Greater Spokane league teams advance to the quarterfinals tonight, where if they match results, they’ll meet on Friday.

Mead plays Bothell, which thundered defending state champion Kent-Meridian 64-29, at 5 p.m. The Royals shot a dismal 9 of 62 (14.5 percent) and for good measure made just 8 of 26 free throws.

Ferris takes on Mountain View, which crushed Sumner 63-49, at 6:30. The Thunder, top-ranked and undefeated in 23 games this year, return four starters from the team that lost to K-M in the title game last year.

Mead 60, Eastlake 49

The Panthers (22-3) scored the first two baskets then went into a deep sleep, missing their next 18 shots as the Wolves (20-9) raced to a 16-4 lead.

Mead recovered by hitting 7 of its next 8 shots to catch Eastlake, a third-year school in Redmond, at 22 with 2:50 to go in the first half. Clinesmith, who missed eight straight shots, and Turner, who missed her first four, had 12 of Mead’s 18 points.

The duo then hit 3’s to open the second half, putting the Panthers up for good, and combined for 13 points as Mead outscored the Wolves 16-11.

“My shots weren’t falling, there’s a couple of things I had to adjust,” Clinesmith said.

“Clinesmith is our catalyst, she’s the kind of kid you can always count on. She got us back,” Mead coach Jeanne Helfer said. “Down 16-4, most teams would have tanked it. Not these kids.”

Last year’s tournament MVP, Clinesmith pumped in 23 points, and Turner added 11.

Only 26 points from Eastlake guard Kim Sorenson, 19 in the second half, kept the score respectable.

The biggest difference was in rebounding. Facing a team that matched them in size, the Panthers were pounded on the boards in the first half. Leading the way was 6-foot-2 senior Shera Looney, who will attend Cal-Santa Barbara with Clinesmith next year.

Jennifer Clark, a 6-1 forward, helped Mead win the battle of the boards in the second half, grabbing seven of her 10 rebounds.

“That’s the first time we’ve seen three 6-footers like that,” Clark said. “We could have rebounded with them but it was a shock to me. We realized we needed to step up. Every time they shot the ball, I would tell myself, ‘The ball is mine.’

“And the referees were letting us play. It was a battle between me and her, instead of me and the refs.”

Eastlake 16 6 11 16 - 49

Mead 4 18 16 22 - 60

EASTLAKE Cushman 0 0-0 0, Omatsu 1 0-0 3, Patterson 1 1-4 3, Sorenson 10 4-4 26, Huffman 1 1-2 3, Looney 4 0-4 8, Ingalls 3 0-0 6. Totals 20 6-14 49.

MEAD Lunzer 0 0-0 0, Beatty 3 2-3 8, C.Clark 0 2-2 2, Turner 4 1-2 11, Zelinski 0 0-0 0, Clinesmith 10 0-2 23, Leaf 0 0-0 0, Roberts 1 0-0 3, Wakefield 1 3-5 5, Edburg 0 0-0 0, J.Clark 1 4-6 6, Bennett 0 2-2 2. Totals 20 14-22 60.

3-point goals - Omatsu, Sorenson 2, Turner 2, Clinesmith 3, Roberts 1. Total fouls - Eastlake 14, Mead 14. Fouled out - none.

Ferris 43, Enumclaw 24

The Saxons (22-5) didn’t exactly hit the floor running but their offense has time to wake as long as the defense answers the bell.

Pruett, a sophomore, hit two 3-pointers as Ferris chugged to a 9-8 lead after one quarter. Then the defense really kicked in, limiting the Hornets (19-8) to three points in the second quarter while the offense went to work.

Pruett added a three-point play and another 3-pointer, sophomore Amy George converted one of two three-point play opportunities and Emily Brown had her own three-point play attempt as the Saxons raced to a 24-11 lead.

The Saxons held the Hornets to 18 percent shooting (9-51).

“All year our defense has been carrying us and once again our defense shut them down,” Ferris coach Janet Skaife said. “Our defense took care of itself but Karie got us going.”

Point guard Jayme Morrisette said attacking the Hornets’ defense was easy - “Spread them out and find Karie for the 3.”

“They left me open so I shot,” Pruett said scoring a career-high 18. “Whoever scores doesn’t matter as long as we win.”

Ferris 9 15 6 13 - 43

Enumclaw 8 3 7 6 - 24

FERRIS Pruett 5 4-5 18, George 2 4-6 8, Jay.Morrisette 1 4-6 6, Rasmussen 0 0-2 0, Brown 1 0-1 2, Williams 0 0-0 0, Swinton 2 2-2 6, Jan.Morrisette 1 1-4 3. Totals 12 15-26 43.

ENUMCLAW E. Youngquist 0 0-0 0, Watkins 1 0-0 2, K.Poe 0 0-0 0, Johannson 1 0-0 2, Barnes 0 2-2 2, Annas 2 0-0 4, Merriman 0 0-0 0, Rogers 2 0-0 4, Hoyt 2 2-2 6, B.Youngquist 0 0-0 0, Nater 1 0-0 2, S.Poe 0 2-4 2. Totals 9 6-8 24.

3-point goals - Pruett 4. Total fouls - Ferris 12, Enumclaw 22. Fouled out - none.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Today’s State AAA games Girls Mead vs. Bothell, 5 p.m.* Ferris vs. Mountain View, 6:30* Boys Lewis and Clark vs. Mount Tahoma, 9 a.m.* *-Games at Key Arena