LC displays variety of talents on way to regional title

KENNEWICK – In Saturday’s 4A Eastern regional championship girls basketball game at the Toyota Center, Lewis and Clark showed off the diversity of its talents.

The day before, there was high-percentage shooting and defense. In their 61-30 romp over outgunned Pasco, the difference was offensive rebounding and shooting from 3-point range.

The victory gave LC its first regional championship in its fourth successive finals appearance.

Besides the different modus operandi each night during the weekend tourney, different Tigers players stepped to the fore.

This time, it was Kiki January and Emily Travis playing huge roles, banging home seven 3-pointers between them as LC opened an 18-point lead by intermission.

January knocked down three 3-pointers and Travis one in the first half, a direct product of LC’s dozen offensive rebounds that resulted in 12 second-chance points.

As usual, defensive disrupter and tourney MVP Brittany Kennedy was dominant on the boards, pulling down four offensive rebounds in the first half.

“I think part of it is that teams have to make a decision on who to try to stop,” LC coach Jim Redmon said. “Luckily, the open girls have been able to come through.”

Pasco had notched an emotional victory over Moses Lake to reach the championship game, and in the process had lost senior team leader Kelsie Ramsey to a freak knee injury during the end-of-game celebration.

The Bulldogs had no answer to Lewis and Clark after January’s first 3-pointer put the Tigers ahead 8-4 in the first quarter. That was as close as the game would be.

Travis would get her first 3-pointer at the end of the first to put the Tigers up 19-10. January hit two more in the third quarter when LC outscored the Bulldogs 10-1.

Pasco went 13 minutes between baskets, the Tigers outscoring them 29-3 during that time. Travis made three more 3-pointers for a 45-13 advantage.

“Lately we’ve been having a real down spell,” January said of their long-range shooting. “But (Redmon) tells us when we’ve got an open look, we have to shoot. We were feeling it.”

For all of Lewis and Clark’s wealth of scoring options, defense remains the top priority.

“Our philosophy is to stop a team defensively,” Redmon said. “As long as you do that, you’re always in the game.”

Next up is a sixth straight state trip and the challenge for a third championship.

“Hopefully, we’re peaking at the right time,” Redmon said. “We’ll see what next week brings.”

Moses Lake 60, Shadle Park 51: The Chiefs (21-5) made a lot of Noyes in earning their first trip to state while bringing an end to the Highlanders’ (20-6) bid.

Carly Noyes scored 26 points and helped derail Shadle’s late comeback bid. Her sister, Ann, added six. The teams were separated by a basket late in the first half before Moses Lake built a 14-point fourth-quarter lead. But with 1:06 remaining and the lead at 55-51, Noyes took charge. Lexie Petterson led the Highlanders with 21 points in her final game.

Shadle Park 49, Walla Walla 44: Trailing at half, the Highlanders scored the first nine points of the third quarter, and weathered a late rally by the Blue Devils (19-7).

Moses Lake 53, Mead 46: The Panthers (19-7) clawed their way back into the game from a 16-2 first-quarter deficit to tie the game 27-all in the third quarter. But the Chiefs, led by Kelly Sutherland’s impressive game, ended Mead’s season. Sutherland finished with 21 points.