Nooksack, LC girls head to 1A state quarterfinals with high hopes

King’s Knights

2016-20 enrollment: 354.38

League (finish): Cascade Conference (first)

District (finish): Northwest/SeaKing (third)

State appearances (record): 24 (46-27)

State titles (years): 4 (1997, 2005, 2006, 2015)

Regional round: Beat Bellevue Christian 34-30 at Bellevue College

Coach: Dan Taylor

LEADING SCORERS

The defending state champions, who return nine players from last year, head to Yakima for a third straight year. Hanson led the way for the third-ranked Knights in the regional win with 12 points, while Parker added nine. They beat Mount Baker in a winner-to-state game in tri-district after losing 53-46 to Lynden Christian in the Northwest District title game. King’s beat Granger and Cashmere last year in the state tournament.

Burbank Columbia Coyotes

2016-20 enrollment: 214.50

League (finish): South Central East (first)

District (finish): Yakima Valley (third)

State appearances (record): 14 (24-19)

State titles (years): None

Regional round: Beat 9 Mile Falls Lakeside 52-45 at University

Coach: Jay Aune

LEADING SCORERS

The Coyotes head to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2008, as Ellis and Cait Aune each scored 17 points in their regional win over Lakeside. Ellis went 13 for 15 from the free-throw line, and Aune hit five 3-pointers. Two of Columbia’s five losses this season came against SCAC foe Granger, and another was against Zillah.

Zillah Leopards

2016-20 enrollment: 323.50

League (finish): South Central West (third)

District (finish): Yakima Valley (second)

State appearances (record): 20 (32-29)

State titles (years): None

Regional round: Beat Chewelah 51-31 at Yakima Eisenhower

Coach: Brandie Valadez

LEADING SCORERS

After earning back-to-back trips to Yakima, the sixth-ranked Leopards hope to advance to the state semifinals for a second straight year. Zillah bounced back from a loss to Granger in the district title game to overwhelm Chewelah in the regional. True led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds, and the Leopards forced 31 turnovers and put the game away with a 14-0 run in the final three minutes of the third quarter.

Nooksack Valley Pioneers

2016-20 enrollment: 337.38

League (finish): Northwest Conference (seventh)

District (finish): Northwest/SeaKing (fourth)

State appearances (record): 23 (38-35)

State titles (years): None

Regional round: Beat La Center 47-39 at Battle Ground

Coach: Shane Wichers

LEADING SCORERS

The Pioneers advanced to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2008 after limiting La Center to its lowest offensive output of the season. Turner scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win. Rachel Sande added 10 points for the Pioneers, who are 6-1 in postseason play this year and have held opponents to 37.0 points per game during that stretch.

Kalama Chinooks

2016-20 enrollment: 205.88 (2B)

League (finish): Trico (second)

District (finish): Southwest (second)

State appearances (record): 6 (2-8)

State titles (years): None

Regional round: Beat Seattle Academy 55-43 at Puyallup Rogers

Coach: Brynan Shipley

LEADING SCORERS

The 10th-ranked Chinooks head to the state quarterfinals for the second time in three years. Esary scored 10 of her 19 points in the first quarter to help Kalama build a 15-point lead in the regional win over Seattle Academy. Shipley finished with 23 points, including eight during a crucial game-clinching run in the fourth. The Chinooks have won 10 of their last 11 entering Yakima.

Granger Spartans

2016-20 enrollment: 321.63

League (finish): South Central West (second)

District (finish): Yakima Valley (first)

State appearances (record): 11 (17-15)

State titles (years): None

Regional round: Beat Montesano 54-39 at Yakima Eisenhower

Coach: Andy Affholter

LEADING SCORERS

The fifth-ranked Spartans head to the state quarterfinals for the third straight year, but have lost to the eventual state champion each of the past two years. Long-range shooting proved to be the difference for Granger in the regional, as it hit five 3-pointers in the first quarter and 12 in the game. Vasquez drained six 3s and scored a game-high 20 points. Castro finished with 19 points, while Blodgett had nine.

Lynden Christian Lyncs

2016-20 enrollment: 249.63

League (finish): Northwest Conference (tie first)

District (finish): Northwest/SeaKing (first)

State appearances (record): 36 (100-32)

State titles (years): 10 (1979, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2008, 2014)

Regional round: Beat Charles Wright 72-34 at Mount Vernon

Coach: Brady Bomber

LEADING SCORERS

For a 12th straight year, the top-ranked Lyncs head to the state quarterfinals, where they hold a 7-4 record during that span. They enter this year on an eight-game win streak. Van Loo led the way with 19 points in LC’s regional win, while Bajema had 15 and Hernandez 12. Dykstra also had a nice game, leading the team with seven of the Lyncs’ 18 assists.

Cashmere Bulldogs

2016-20 enrollment: 321.63

League (finish): Caribou Trail (first)

District (finish): North Central (first)

State appearances (record): 8 (13-10)

State titles (years): None

Regional round: Beat Coupeville 51-25 at Wenatchee

Coach: Brent Darnell

LEADING SCORERS

The Bulldogs head to the state quarterfinals for a third straight year and will face the team that knocked them out of the 2014 state semifinals by a 31-26 count. Wenatchee transfer Faulkner led the way to a dominating regional win with 16 points. She was one of four Cashmere players to score in double figures. The Bulldogs have won seven straight, but two of their seven losses this season came against Zillah and Granger.

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Nooksack, LC girls head to 1A state quarterfinals with high hopes."