The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
53°F
Current Conditions
Clear sky
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

Pairings announced for 2A boys and girls

Steve Christilaw Correspondent

Clarkston got hit with both barrels as the state Class 2A tournament field was drawn Sunday at WIAA headquarters in Renton.

Both Bantam teams face top-ranked teams in the Wednesday’s opening round.

The Bantam boys (12-12), the No. 2 seed from District 7, face undefeated, No. 1-ranked Mark Morris (23-0) in the 10:30 a.m. game at the Tacoma Dome.

Meanwhile, the Bantam girls, 17-5 and ranked No. 7 in the state, drew once-beaten Anacortes in the 8:30 nightcap for day one. The No. 1-ranked team in the state in the most recent state AP basketball rankings, Anacortes was upset in overtime by Sehome in the District 1 tournament semifinals and settled for a No. 3 tournament seed.

In the boys tournament, West Valley (19-3) drew the plum, 7 p.m. spot for its opener with Mt. Baker.

“The draw could be better, but it could be a lot worse,” coach Jamie Nilles said. “We don’t have to face Mark Morris or Lynden in the opener. We want to play them eventually, of course, but we don’t have to open with them.”

The Eagles are in a state tournament for the third consecutive season. West Valley placed eighth and fourth in the past two state Class 3A tourneys, respectively.

Mount Baker (16-8) enters the tournament off a 66-39 loss to third-ranked Burlington-Edison in a district seeding game.

Nilles said the tournament draw makes a perfect example on the difference between being No. 1 seed and a No. 2 seed.

“As the No. 1 seed we get a draw we can work with,” he said. “Clarkston gets Mark Morris right off the bat. That’s how important that No. 1 seed is.”

In the girls tournament, Cheney (15-9), draws Eatonville (16-6) in the noon game. Cheney (15-9) needed to upset Pullman, the No. 3-ranked team in the state, to get into the tournament.

There is no defending champion in either Class 2A tournament. Lynden Christian and King’s reached the finals of both boys and girls tournaments a year ago, with Lynden Christian winning the boys title and King’s the girls. Both dropped to Class 1A in this year’s realignment.