Colton, ACH play for crown

YAKIMA – Colton coach Clark Vining knew in the back of his mind coming here this week that he and his team really didn’t have anyplace to go.

After a methodical third-second-first march through the trophies in the first three years of the girls State 1B basketball tournament’s existence, the Wildcats were in the unfamiliar position of looking to repeat a placing rather than improve on one.

It didn’t seem to matter Friday as they methodically dispatched Columbia 40-23 in the state semifinals at the SunDome. Colton (24-1) will attempt to become the first repeat champion when it plays Almira/Coulee-Hartline (23-3) tonight at 9.

Columbia coach Roy Graffis was prophetic Thursday night in his assessment of what his team needed to do to succeed against a relentless Colton squad Friday night.

Graffis was worried his players would wilt under Colton’s pressure defense or simply crack under the glare of the semifinal spotlight.

It actually turned out to be a combination of both that felled the Lions.

The Wildcats’ defense held Columbia (23-5) to 22 percent shooting from the floor – 8 of 36 – and the Lions committed 27 turnovers.

“We really hurt ourselves,” said Graffis, who won a state title with Columbia in 1986.

McKenzie Heaslet led Colton with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Heaslet scored nine of the points in the second period when Colton asserted itself, turning a one-point deficit into an eight-point halftime lead.

After two wins by a combined score of 155-32, Colton’s players seemed perplexed at their early inability to exert their will.

“I just kept telling them to keep playing and do what we do,” Vining said. “They believed that eventually we would be all right.”

ACH 48, Pateros 28: ACH needed some time to find its stride against a patient, determined Pateros team. The Warriors didn’t wrest control of the tempo away from the Nannies until the final period when they turned a 28-22 advantage into the 20-point victory.

“Pateros is a great ballclub and well-coached,” ACH coach Ben Addink said. “We’re just thankful we were able to survive and advance.”

Pateros led by seven points early and by five points at halftime thanks in large part to 14 percent shooting and seven turnovers by the Warriors.

The Warriors advanced thanks to another stellar effort by guard Madeline Issak, who had 13 points – 11 in the second half – and four steals. Nikki Osborne was again tough inside, scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Issak’s steal and full-court run for a layin with 1:38 remaining in the third period gave ACH a 25-22 lead and appeared to jump start the Warriors.

Freshman Karlee Martin seemed to be everywhere on defense in the fourth period, creating more problems for Pateros than her one steal on the stat sheet would indicate.

Columbia will play Pateros for third at 5 p.m. and St. John-Endicott will play Neah Bay for fifth at 10 a.m.

St. John-Endicott 62, Cusick 38: Kelsey Simon poured in a game-high 21 points as the Eagles (22-4) advanced to the trophy round with the consolation-round victory over the Panthers.

Alli Winters added 11 points for SJE.

Andrea Heinen led Cusick (12-15) with 12 points.