12 Mid-Columbia teams still in the running for a WA state high school basketball title
There are 144 high school basketball teams — 72 boys and 72 girls — still alive that can win one of the 12 state championship trophies this week.
Those 12 tournaments are scattered around the state in three locations: 4A and 3A boys and girls in Tacoma; 2A and 1A boys and girls in Yakima; and 2B and 1B boys and girls in Spokane.
Included among those 144 squads are 12 Mid-Columbia region teams — led by Richland’s boys and Chiawana’s girls.
Four area teams — the Chiawana girls, and the Royal, Columbia-Burbank and DeSales boys — are all into Thursday’s quarterfinal rounds.
The rest of the locals will have to survive loser-out contests on Wednesday to keep going.
Class 4A boys
The Bombers lost at home to Camas 59-57 on Saturday, as Landen Northrop’s game-winning 3-point field goal attempt at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced off.
Earl Streufert’s boys still have a chance to win the 4A boys state championship, but they’ll have to win four consecutive games in four days.
“Our best two guys (Northrop and Lance Horntvedt) had a tough day,” said Streufert of Saturday’s loss. “We’ve lot two games now by a total of 6 points. We just didn’t play well against Camas. But we did play well in the second half.”
So Richland opens in Tacoma against Emerald Ridge (see schedule below) on Wednesday.
“The expectation level is so much higher here,” said Streufert, whose team last season finishes second in state. “These guys are good enough to win the whole thing.”
With Northrop, Horntvedt, Josiah Scacco, Jackson Woodard and Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane all with state tournament experience, don’t count these Bombers out.
Class 4A girls
Meanwhile, Gary Jonas’ Chiawana Riverhawks are headed to the Tacoma Dome after they beat Auburn 67-51 on Friday night at Richland High.
Auburn had jumped out to a 23-11 lead after one quarter before the Riverhawks came flying back, rolling past the Trojans 41-22 in the middle two quarters.
Both Kaia Foster (19 points-11 rebounds) and Malia Ruud (18-15) had double-doubles for Chiawana.
For this group of Riverhawks — especially Ruud and Foster — getting to Tacoma has always been the goal this season.
“Last year, we lost to Gonzaga Prep by 1 point in a district game (to determine the final region’s state berth),” said second-year head coach Gary Jonas. “That’s how close to state we were a year ago. This group of girls really came together in the offseason. They were all about winning.”
Jonas says its shown in practice every day.
“A lot of coaches love practices more than the games,” said Jonas. “Sometimes we have had to tone things down this season during practice. These young kids are as hungry as can be.”
Class 3A girls
Daron Santo’s Kennewick team hung tough against a No. 2 North Thurston before running out of gas late in the contest last Saturday, losing 59-52.
The Lions, however, are still alive to win a title.
And Santo says don’t count his team out.
“Look, we played good enough to win Saturday,” said Santo. “You can see that a lot of this team is undersized. What I love about this team is they don’t just give up. They keep going until the last shot.”
Kennewick could have folded last month when standout senior Dylyn Dress — headed to Eastern Washington University — went down with a knee injury in practice.
But the Lions have been a balanced scoring team, sometimes with five players in double-figure scoring in a game.
“And we still have that balanced scoring,” said Santo. “What I really miss is Dylyn’s defense down low.”
The Lions have a loser-out game against Roosevelt on Wednesday. Santo thinks they have a good chance to move on.
“That’s what I’m hoping,” he said.
Class 2B boys
Senior Quincy Scott and the Columbia-Burbank Coyotes are on a mission to finally get that elusive state championship.
Each season standouts Scott, Tristan Frimodt and Cade Ross have seen a better state finish: their freshman year, the Coyotes placed sixth at state. As sophomores in 2023, Burbank finished third. As juniors last year, Burbank lost to Colfax in the title game to finish second.
“The expectations are there,” said Coyotes coach Todd Schumacher. “These guys have been down this road before. They know the process. They’re confident.”
Schumacher says it’s never been a formal discussion about getting that title.
“But it was discussed,” he said.
The Coyotes put together a tough non-league schedule this season to help them get ready for this week.
They’ll be ready, especially if Scott continues to do what he did in the team’s 89-75 win last Saturday over Northwest Christian of Colbert.
In that game, Scott scored 40 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and had 3 assists.
“Everything he did in that game was impressive,” said Schumacher. “There were moments when it was like he was taking over.”
Roundup
Prosser will send both of its boys and girls teams to Yakima in 2A, with them playing loser-out games on Wednesday.
The Mustangs boys rolled past Ridgefield on Saturday, 83-57, as Landon Bailey and Koby McClure each scored 24 points. … Prosser’s girls lost 52-38 to unbeaten Deer Park in Spokane on Friday. Senior Lay’lee Dixon led the Mustangs with 14 points. … Royal’s boys continue its advance towards 1A state, beating Meridian 65-47. … Tri-Cities Prep’s boys will join Columbia-Burbank in Spokane this week after holding off Rainier 48-38 last Saturday in Richland. … Mabton and Columbia-Burbank’s girls will play in the 2B state tourney in Spokane; while the DeSales boys and Sunnyside Christian girls will be involved in the 1B tourneys in Spokane.
Here’s a look at what local teams are doing this week:
4A boys state tournament
Saturday, March 1
Richland High School
Game 4 — (5) Camas 59, (4) Richland 57
Wednesday, March 5
Tacoma Dome
Game 11 — (13) Emerald Ridge (20-7) vs. (4) Richland (23-2), loser out, 12:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 15 — Quarterfinal, Winner 11 vs. (6) West Valley-Yakima (18-5), 12:15 p.m.
4A girls state tournament
Friday, Feb. 28
Richland High School
Game 3 — (3) Chiawana 67, (6) Auburn 51
Wednesday, March 5
Tacoma Dome
Game 11 — (13) Glacier Peak (19-7) vs. (5) Union (20-4), loser out, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 15 — Quarterfinal, Winner 11 vs. (3) Chiawana (23-1), 7:15 p.m.
3A girls state tournament
Saturday, March 1
University of Puget Sound
Game 2 — (2) North Thurston 59, (7) Kennewick 52
Wednesday, March 5
Tacoma Dome
Game 10 — (15) Roosevelt (19-9) vs. (7) Kennewick (17-7), loser out, 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 14 — Quarterfinal, Winner 10 vs. (1) Central Valley (24-0), 10:30 a.m.
2A boys state tournament
Saturday, March 1
Richland High School
Game 6 — (10) Prosser 83, (15) Ridgefield 57, loser out
Wednesday, March 5
Yakima Valley SunDome
Game 10 — (10) Prosser (20-7) vs. (7) Foster (18-8), loser out, 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 14 — Quarterfinal, Winner 10 vs. (1) Lynden (25-1), 10:30 a.m.
2A girls state tournament
Friday, Feb. 28
West Valley-Spokane High School
Game 3 — (3) Deer Park 52, (6) Prosser (38)
Wednesday, March 5
Yakima Valley SunDome
Game 9 — (11) Eatonville (22-4) vs. (6) Prosser (21-5), loser out, 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 13 — Quarterfinal, Winner 9 vs. (5) Archbishop Murphy (23-2), 3:45 p.m.
1A boys state tournament
Friday, Feb. 28
Ellensburg High School
Game 2 — (2) Royal 65, (7) Meridian 47
Wednesday, March 5
Yakima Valley SunDome
Game 12 — (9) Chelan (22-5) vs. (8) The Bear Creek School (18-6), loser out, 9 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 16 — Quarterfinal, Winner 12 vs. (2) Royal (24-1), 9 p.m.
2B boys state tournament
Saturday, March 1
Richland High School
Game 1 — (1) Columbia-Burbank 89, (8) Northwest Christian-Colbert 75
Game 8 — (12) Tri-Cities Prep 48, (13) Rainier 38, loser out
Wednesday, March 5
Spokane Arena
Game 10 — (10) Liberty Bell (16-10) vs. (7) Adna (19-6), loser out, 10:30 a.m.
Game 11 — (12) Tri-Cities Prep (21-5) vs. (5) Lake Roosevelt (20-5), loser out, 12:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 14 — Quarterfinal, Winner 10 vs. (1) Columbia-Burbank (24-1), 10:30 a.m.
Game 15 — Quarterfinal, Winner 11 vs. (3) Reardan (22-2), 12:15 p.m.
2B girls state tournament
Saturday, March 1
Davis-Yakima High School
Game 5 — (9) Mabton 66, (16) La Conner 37, loser out
Richland High School
Game 7 — (11) Columbia-Burbank 58, (14) Mossyrock 35, loser out
Cheney High School
Game 8 — (12) Colfax 62, (13) Tri-Cities Prep 29, loser out
Wednesday, March 5
Spokane Arena
Game 9 — (11) Columbia-Burbank (17-7) vs. (6) Mount Vernon Christian (19-4), loser out, 3:45 p.m.
Game 12 — (9) Mabton (23-4) vs. (1) Rainier (20-4), loser out, 9 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 13 — Quarterfinal, Winner 9 vs. (4) Reardan (22-2), 3:45 p.m.
Game 16 — Quarterfinal, Winner 12 vs. (2) Adna (22-2), 9 p.m.
1B boys state tournament
Friday, Feb. 28
Richland High School
Game 4 — (4) DeSales 64, (5) Neah Bay 52
Cheney High School
Game 8 — (12) Garfield-Palouse 61, (13) Sunnyside Christian 48, loser out
Wednesday, March 5
Spokane Arena
Game 9 — (14) Summit Classical Christian (22-4) vs. (6) Tulalip Heritage (20-4), loser out, 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 13 — Quarterfinal, Winner 9 vs. (4) DeSales (23-2), 3:45 p.m.
1B girls state tournament
Saturday, March 1
Davis-Yakima High School
Game 7 — (11) Sunnyside Christian 58, (14) Almira Coulee Hartline 45, loser out
Wednesday, March 5
Spokane Arena
Game 9 — (11) Sunnyside Christian (19-5) vs. (6) Inchelium (19-2), loser out, 9 a.m.
Thursday, March 6
Game 13 — Quarterfinal, Winner 9 vs. (5) Wellpinit (22-2), 9 a.m.