| Team, Year |
Coach, Record |
Why Them?
|
|
1. CASHMERE
(1977)
139 voting points
(8 first-place votes) |
BILL KELLY
27-0
|
The Bulldogs
didn't have a starter taller than 6-2, but they wore opponents out with
athleticism, high-voltage fast breaks and, most of all, their
full-court, man-to-man defensive pressure. With four senior starters and
all-tourney standouts in Phil Barnhart and MVP Keith Collins, Cashmere
won close games over South Bend and Lynden (in OT) before crushing
Kalama 99-55 in a championship game that remains the most one-sided
final in tournament history.
|
|
2. LYNDEN
(1962)
102 points
(1 first-place vote) |
JAKE MABERRY
24-1 |
The Lions
were big (four starters 6-4 or taller) and very talented, with three
players (Howard Heppner, Bob Kildall and Dave Wood) who drew
major-college recruiting interest. The second of back-to-back Lynden
teams that won 48 of 50 games, these Lions had an average tourney
scoring margin of 16.7 points and took the final by 15 over Dave Hovde-led
Selah. Lynden's only loss was to by two points to eventual fourth-placer
Nooksack Valley.
|
|
3. GRANDVIEW
(1990)
100 points
(3 first-place votes) |
MIKE SCHUETTE
28-0 |
These
Greyhounds dominated inside with the duo of 6-8 David Pouliot and 6-6
Joey Warmenhoven; Chad
Stenberg was a sophomore standout; and 6-4 senior Danny Brito had gone
from bench-sitter as a junior to double-figure scorer as a senior.
Grandview averaged 84.0 points over its perfect 26-game run, winning by
an average of 32.9 points and whipping Ilwaco 79-68 in the title game,
the only one in tournament history played between unbeaten teams.
|
|
4. GRANDVIEW
(1989)
96 points
(2 first-place votes) |
MIKE SCHUETTE
26-1 |
What a
lineup: The tournament MVP in senior guard Rolando Garcia, the powerful
inside 1-2 punch of 6-7 Pouliot and 6-6 Tony Baugher, an unstoppable
swingman in Warmenhoven, leadership with seven seniors, and a precocious
freshman star-to-be in Stenberg. The Greyhounds averaged a record 84.0
points in the tourney, winning by an average of 22.5 points -- including
a 78-63 title-game drubbing of Highland, avenging their only loss.
|
|
5. COLFAX
(1978)
75 points
(2 first-place votes) |
BOB BAFUS
26-0 |
The first of
Colfax's two state champions, one of only seven unbeaten teams in 1A
history, had an indomitable scorer and rebounder in 6-3 tournament MVP
Bryan Johnson, an all-tourney forward in 6-3 Guy Therrien, solid guard
play and a very tough defense. They could run (going over 70 points
seven times that season) or play slow-down (winning one game 35-5). The
Bulldogs had one close game and then cruised to three easy victories.
|
|
6. LYNDEN
(1981)
69 points
(2 first-place votes) |
JAKE MABERRY
27-0 |
These Lions
were already good, with three returning starters from 1980's
seventh-place team, when they were bolstered by two all-state-caliber
transfers -- 6-foot-6 Joe Whitney, a high-flying forward, and
sharpshooting guard Mike Knutson. The Lions overcame a serious case of
the flu -- with point guard Vince Blauser it was more like walking
pneumonia -- to make it through unscathed, overcoming King's in an
overtime title-game thriller, 53-51.
|
|
7. SELAH
(1963)
68 points
(1 first-place vote) |
CARL KELLMAN
26-1 |
After
reaching the tournament the previous three years and losing in the 1962
finals, the Vikings finally broke through behind the all-tournament duo
of Dave Hovde and Don Waldbauer. John McDevitt, Ron Meyer and Rod Alvord
were the other standouts on the team which led a 1-2-3 sweep by Valley
teams (West Valley and Marquette were 2nd and 3rd). Selah avenged only
its only season loss by routing Marquette 59-36 in the semifinals.
|
|
8. LA CENTER
(1997)
62 points |
FORBES LAPP
27-0 |
The Wildcats
were led by arguably the best brother duo in tournament history -- the
VanWeerdhuizen boys, 6-5 senior Derek and 6-6 junior Dustin, who
triggered La Center's full-court press and helped set a team tournament
record with 32 3-pointers. The Wildcats nipped Chelan (which would win
the 1998 title) 56-55 in the semis and then, with Derek hitting seven
3-pointers, outlasted Cashmere 71-66 for their second straight title.
|
|
9. NACHES
(1987)
57 points |
SCOTT BERRY
27-0 |
No opponent
could deal with the Rangers' fast break, led by the all-tournament 1-2
punch of 6-5 Ron Deaton and acrobatic 6-4 forward Matt Williams. With
guards Brian Schmidt and sensational passer Mike Burge also happy to run
nonstop for 32 minutes and Jason Bargher battling on the boards, the
Rangers had only two close games all season, wins over Kiona-Benton. In
the final against the Bears, the Rangers made sure it wasn't close,
rolling 71-34.
|
|
10. MARQUETTE
(1965)
49 points |
HAL DODEWARD
26-0 |
The Squires'
star 5-foot-11 forward Scott McDonald was a unanimous all-tourney pick
who averaged 25.7 points over the first three days. But he had plenty of
help: Center Paul Beauchene was a rugged warrior under the boards, Dick
Walter was a defensive ace and Ed LaBissoniere hit the free throws to
clinch the only close game, 58-57 over St. Martin's. Five Squires scored
in double figures in the 65-50 title-game win over Lynden Christian.
|
|
11. LYNDEN
(1986)
43 points |
JOHN CLARK
26-1 |
Upset in
overtime in the championship game by Cashmere for their only loss, the
26-1 Lions were certainly the best team not to win the title. They were
led by 6-6 future UW Husky Todd Lautenbach and 6-4 Eric Petersen.
|
|
12. LYNDEN
CHRISTIAN
(1976)
38 points
(1 first-place vote)
|
BILL DeHOOG
20-7 |
The Lyncs
overcame the suspension of six players the night before the semifinals,
then won the title in double OT over Royal City, led by unanimous
tournament MVP Glen Dykstra and stellar forward Albert Timmer.
|
|
13. STEILACOOM
(1985)
34 points |
GARY WUSTERBARTH
23-2 |
The second
and better of the Sentinels' back-to-back titles was led by smooth,
powerful, two-time MVP Rod Whatley and guard Jeff Staten. Steilacoom
escaped Lynden in a tough semi, then trounced Highland for the title.
|
|
13. LYNDEN
(1991)
34 points |
JOHN CLARK
26-1 |
Led by
athletic 6-4 guard Derric Croft, a future Division I player, and 6-3
Brian Heppner, the Lions upended two-time defending champion Grandview
69-65
in the semifinals and then crushed Toppenish 80-58 in the finals.
|
|
15. CASHMERE
(1986)
27 points |
BILL KELLY
25-1 |
The last of
Kelly's four title teams had a solid inside trio in 6-9 post Brian
Paine, a future WSU Cougar, and forwards Craig Wise and John Lippert.
Their two-OT finale over Lynden was one of the tourney's best-ever
nail-biters.
|
|
16. HIGHLAND
(1988)
18 points |
PAT FITTERER
26-1 |
The Scotties
were the perfect team to take advantage of the introduction of the
3-point line, with Trevor Sugarman and the ambidextrous Dan Parsley
firing
away to free up the inside for Robert Turner and Dennis Forbes.
|
|
17. NOOKSACK
VALLEY (1974)
17 points |
KAY LeMASTER
25-2 |
Four Pioneers
-- 6-5 Bruce Bravard, Kelly Heutink, Jim Sterk (now WSU's athletic
director) and Scott Stokes -- averaged in double figures. They also led
a 1-2-3 state tournament sweep by Whatcom County League teams.
|
|
18. EPHRATA
(1993)
13 points |
MARTY O'BRIEN
26-1 |
Led by
tournament MVP Travis King, a smooth-shooting guard, all-tourney wing
Eric Davis, and gritty 6-3 post Craig Cherf, the Tigers opened with a
close
victory over Blaine and then cruised to their only championship.
|
|
19. CASTLE ROCK
(1969)
12 points |
FLOYD LeBARON
27-1 |
One year
after making it to state with an all-underclassmen lineup, the Rockets
launched behind powerful all-tournament center Rob Andrew. In a title
game many expected them to lose, they blitzed Raymond by 20 points.
|
|
20. COLFAX
(1979)
9 points |
BOB BAFUS
25-1 |
These
bulldogs had only one returning starter, steady guard Tim Bruya, back
from their '78 title team, but got solid performances from 6-5 Jim
Heilsberg and 6-4 Chuck Carroll and lost only to Lynden in a holiday
tourney.
|
|
OTHERS FOR CONSIDERATION |
ILWACO 1967 (8 voting points) was like
that 1986 Lynden team: an all-time great one that got knocked off. In
Ilwaco's case, the upset came in the second round, when White Swan
stunned the high-scoring Fishermen 38-35 one day after they had scored
103 points against Cheney. ... CASHMERE 1972 (8 points), led by
dominant center (and future UW Husky) Alan Smith, won one of the deepest
tournaments ever, with six placing teams with three losses or less. ...
ELMA 1964 (5 points) had plenty of go-to guys in the lineup, with
Rick Slettedahl leading four players who averaged in double figures. ...
LYNDEN 1992 (5 points), led by 6-8 center Chad Baar and explosive
guard Lance Campbell, lost only to AA champion Mount Vernon in a 26-1
season. ... RAYMOND 1970 (2 points) had standout guard Pat Rogers
and three other double-figure scorers in its championship run. ...
CHELAN 1998 (1 point) might not have been as good as the Goats' team
of a year earlier that lost in the semifinals. But these Goats, led by
Player of the Year Phil Cullen, got it done. ... LYNDEN 1961 (1
point) began the Lions' two-year stranglehold on the title with senior
guard John Clark and a bunch of standout juniors led by forwards Howard
Heppner and Bob Kildall. ... PROSSER 1967 (1 point) had plenty of
firepower, with guard Tom Phipps and forward Rick Brandsma leading the
Mustangs to the title. ... STEILACOOM 1984 (1 point) was young,
with only two senior starters on the first of the Sentinels' two-year
championship reign. ... How loaded was this field of history? Well,
ZILLAH 1994, LA CENTER 1996, CLE ELUM 1959 and
CASHMERE 1980 had four titles and a grand total of just seven losses
between them ... and couldn't even get a single top-10 vote. Now that's
loaded.
|
