The Lady Vikes were smokin’ hot at Tri-Districts this week, and now they’re blazing onward to state.
“They are playing the best basketball of the year,” said coach Terry Moran-Hodge.
They shot down Crosspoint on Feb. 20 with a score of 39 to 25. They overcame La Conner 36 to 31 on Feb. 26. And the next day they struck again for a 39 to 34 win against Evergreen Lutheran, clinching the 3rd place spot at Tri-Districts and earning a solid berth at the state championships this week.
It was sweet revenge for the Vikes, who suffered painfully close losses to both La Conner and Evergreen Lutheran earlier this season.
Friday against La Conner
“It was a battle,” said coach Terry Moran-Hodge. “We were up by 9 points at half, but we just knew they were going to come back at us. But we held on for the victory.”
Moran-Hodge said April (Hofmann) had a great game.
“The key to stopping them was to stop their big players and she did a good job of that. And Lanie (Padbury) played really well; she really battled. She was doing everything to keep us in the game,” he said.
Padbury led with 10 rebounds and 9 points; Stephanie Shaw hit 13 points and Alison O’Toole sunk 5. Moran-Hodge said Emily Diepenbrock was a key contributor, scoring early in the game and totaling five rebounds, three steals, and eight points.
“Emily made two free throws that iced the game for us, right at the end when it really mattered,” said Moran-Hodge.
Saturday against Evergreen Lutheran
“That was a fun one,” said Moran-Hodge. “We got vengeance. We were able to withstand their pressure a bit more this time.”
He said O’Toole nabbed 12 rebounds, “really a feat” against the Lutherans’ formidable college-bound post player, and Hofmann played another great game. Shaw had 16 points, Padbury 9, and Makenna Thomas, Hofmann and O’Toole each sunk 4.
“They played really well; it was a great team effort,” Moran-Hodge said.
The Vikings will play their first state playoff game on Wednesday, March 3 at 4 p.m. against Wahkiakum. With the Vikings red-hot, Moran-Hodge says there is great potential for a win.
“I like our chances because we’re playing so well,” he said. If they emerge victorious over Wahkiakum, they will most likely be up against Colfax, the defending state champs. “They’ll be a force to be reckoned with,” said Moran-Hodge. “I’m really looking forward to playing them.”
To view the game live online, see cybersportsusa.com and select “Live Games” – “High School Basketball” – “WIAA” – then under “Tournaments”, select “WIAA 2BGirls (2010 WIAA Girls 2B Championship).”
