Tri-Cities Prep’s historic season ends without a state trophy

Tri-Cities Prep’s run at the 2B state tournament wasn’t as long it would have liked, but coach Joe Mackay said the Jaguars’ first trip was one to remember.

“We didn’t get the end result that we were shooting for, but I am extremely proud of the girls,” Mackay said. “They fought to the end. We are a really young team. We graduate just one senior (Maddie Brandner) and we will miss her leadership, but I am excited to see what they do in the future.”

The Jaguars fell one game short of the placing round after suffering an 85-54 loss Friday to top-ranked Ilwaco at Spokane Arena.

“They are ranked No. 1 for a reason,” Mackay said. “They were a good team. (Makenzie) Kaech was pretty good. She flashed to the holes pretty well. We weren’t able to stop her.”

The Fishermen (24-2) jumped out to a 28-8 lead after the first quarter and were never challenged. TCP outscored Ilwaco 20-16 in the fourth, but the game already out of reach.

“This was our third (game) in a row,” Mackay said. “We were exhausted. The girls were excited and enjoyed the experience of being up there. They want to be back next year.”

Freshman Talia von Oelhoffen led the Jaguars (19-7) with 27 points and nine rebounds, while Emily Dickson added 10 points, and Abby Boothe seven.

“Talia has been a huge part of our year,” Mackay said. “She helped turn the program where it is now. I can’t say enough about all of our freshmen.”

Kaech led all scorers with 31 points, while 6-foot senior Madeline Jacobson added 22 points and 15 rebounds.

This story was originally published March 2, 2018 at 6:51 PM with the headline "Tri-Cities Prep’s historic season ends without a state trophy."