Lakeside boys get early start at state

Lakeside’s boys got the 9 a.m. game when the State 2A tournament draw was announced Sunday, and the Eagles’ Northeast District championship didn’t earn them an easy first-round opponent.

They’ll open the tournament, which begins Wednesday at the SunDome in Yakima, with Grandview (20-4), ranked third in the state before two losses in the Central Washington Bi-District.

It’s a rematch of a Dec. 30 meeting, when Grandview beat the Eagles 54-43 at the SunDome Classic, the site of the state tournament.

The Greyhounds were a perfect 12-0 in the Central Washington Athletic Conference, but a pair of single-digit losses earned them the fourth seed out of districts.

Lakeside (15-7) also has sixth-ranked Cashmere (21-3), the Bi-District champion, in its quarter bracket.

Riverside, making its first state tournament appearance since the 1989 1A tournament, opens up with East Valley-Yakima (14-9) in a 7:30 p.m. game.

EV-Y is led by 6-foot-4 sophomore post Kevin Komstadius, who averages 17.3 points a game.

“They’ve got the one really good player, they’re scrappy and it doesn’t sound like they’re too big,” Rams head coach Brent Monroe said. “It sounds like we’re pretty even.”

The Red Devils were second out of the Bi-District, losing to Cashmere in overtime in the championship.

Riverside could see a potential quarterfinal matchup with third-ranked Vashon Island (22-2). Top-ranked Lynden Christian (21-2) is in the lower half of the bracket and wouldn’t see a GNL team until a semifinal meeting with Riverside.

Neither GNL girls team got stuck with an early game, as Pullman (18-4) was drawn into the last game in the upper bracket, a 2 p.m. matchup with Vashon Island (17-9), the second seed out of the West Central District.

“I don’t have any complaints,” Pullman head coach Mike Davis said. “There’s no easy games when you get to this point. We’re gonna have to be prepared.”

Lakeside’s girls (17-6), the second seed out of the Northeast District, open their tournament at 4 p.m. against Woodland (22-1), the Southwest District champions.

Woodland has been to the state tournament in six consecutive seasons, with an 8-9 record and three trophies.

King’s (22-2) and East Valley-Yakima (23-0) split the No. 1 ranking in the final prep poll, and Lakeside would play EV-Y in the second round if they both won.

Pullman wouldn’t see King’s until a semifinal.

Both GNL teams played EV-Y in the SunDome Classic, with the Red Devils beating Pullman 44-31 and Lakeside 59-41.