Day 2 in the SunDome provided more interesting matchups, with the four Northwest Conference reps splitting their four games.
Lynden defeated 2023 state title game foe Mark Morris, 68-48, and Anacortes got some revenge on Enumclaw from last year’s state tournament first-round loss, 68-43. Lakewood lost to Selah, 63-57, and Nooksack Valley was on the short end of a 62-48 score to Quincy.
Selah 63, Lakewood 57
The Cougars hit three 3-pointers in the first eight minutes, but it was nothing compared to the Vikings five 3’s, and a 23-9 lead.
By halftime, the Cougars had drained eight shots from behind the arc, while the Vikings totaled seven, but the Cougars were down 37-27.
The Vikings were playing without leading scorer, Jackson Pepper, who was recovering from an ankle injury the previous day.
Lakewood’s sophomore forward Caleb Greenland was the only Cougar who had consistent offensive rhythm, even though he missed half of the second quarter due to foul trouble. Greenland scored 20 points, which included three 3-pointers.
After trailing for 28 minutes, senior guard Ben Rucker nailed a 3-point shot to tie the score at 50-50, but that momentum was short lived. Just seconds later, Selah freshman Oliver Pepper drained one of his own, and the Cougars could not get the gap as close as one possession the rest of the way.
The Vikings improved to 5-4 on the season. The Cougars, 2-3 in the NWC and 4-5 on the season, return to conference play on Tuesday, as they host Anacortes.
Lynden 68, Mark Morris 48
The Lions were again able to handle the Monarchs on the SunDome floor, taking an 18-9 lead after one quarter. The lead went up to as much as 11 before the Monarchs closed the gap to 31-26 at halftime.
In the third quarter, junior forward Brant Heppner kept the Monarchs at bay as he hit three 3-pointers, as part of his 14-point game. Senior forward Anthony Canales, while battling foul trouble, scored consistently throughout, netting 23 points.
Mark Morris senior guard Braydon Olson matched Canales’ 23, but no other Monarch was in double-digits. The Monarchs are 5-5 on the season.
Zillah’s win over Lynden on Thursday broke a nine-game winning streak for the Lions in the SunDome, which includes the three previous state tournaments and the last two SunDome Shootouts.
The Lions are 6-0 in the NWC and 8-3 on the season. They will host Bellingham on Thursday.
Anacortes 68, Enumclaw 43
The Seahawks jumped out to a 21-13 lead after one quarter and never looked back. The combination of junior guards Jake Andrew and Davis Fogle combined to tie the 43 points of the Hornets.
Andrew hit four of his five 3-pointers in the first half, where he scored 17 of his game-high 23 points. Fogle scored ten of his 20 points in the first quarter.
Fogle draws the full attention of the opposing defense, and on this day, the Hornets had no answer. Not only did Fogle score but he was able to draw extra defenders and dish to open teammates. Andrew was the primary beneficiary, spotting up in open areas, ready to fire.
Sophomore forward Micah Dickison scored ten of his eleven points in the fourth quarter for the Seahawks, who are 3-1 in the NWC and 7-1 on the season.
After a stop on Duval to take on Cedarcrest today (Saturday), the Seahawks will be at Lakewood for a conference game on Tuesday.
Quincy 62, Nooksack Valley 48
I don’t have details on this game, but the Jackrabbits of the 1A Caribou Trail League recovered from a 34-point loss to Columbia (Burbank) the day before. They are now 7-4 on the season.
The Pioneers are 4-2 in the NWC and 7-3 on the season. They host Friday Harbor on Wednesday, before a big game on Friday, at home against Lynden Christian.
~ Ted House
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