LC girls have a ball

Thu., March 16, 2006

By Vince Grippi vincegrippi55@yahoo.com

The gold ball.

It’s the goal of every high school basketball team in Washington to hoist the state championship trophy after the final game of the year.

The Lewis and Clark Tigers girls earned the right for the first time Saturday night in Tacoma.

Not only did the Tigers defeat Prairie 66-44, they did it in a manner that left no doubt where the best team in the state resides this year.

Katelan Redmon hit 10 of her 12 shots overall to finish with 22 points, but it was her play in the second-quarter that really stood out. The junior connected on five consecutive shots in a span of just more than three minutes, helping the Tigers put the game away before halftime.

Senior Heather Bowman, who is headed to Gonzaga University in the fall, added 16 points and the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.

The 6-foot-2 center scored 72 points in the Tigers’ four consecutive state victories.

But it was its defense that earned LC the title, a defense sparked by the perimeter play of senior guard Ren Mallory and her sophomore running mate Brittany Kennedy. The two used their quick hands and feet to help force 22 Falcon turnovers that led directly to 26 of Lewis and Clark’s points.

The perimeter defense, coupled with the interior play of Bowman, Redmon and senior Hannah Rothstrom, stymied the Prairie attack, limiting the five-time state champion Falcons to more than 20 points below their season scoring average.

It all added up to the school’s first girls 4A basketball title.

And the Tigers’ first chance to hoist the gold ball.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.