White Swan faces defending champ Colfax,
Zillah gets No. 1-ranked Freeman in openers

By JERREL SWENNING
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

The Class 1A tournament brackets didn't exactly smile on Yakima Valley teams this week. More of a smart-aleck smirk.

White Swan's Andrea Blodgett is the leading scorer for the fifth-ranked Cougars and was voted the SCAC West Most Valuable Player.   JEFF HALLER/Yakima Herald-Republic file

The draw paired White Swan, which is back in the event after a five-year drought, with defending champ Colfax for a 12:30 p.m. game Wednesday. Zillah, meanwhile, is slated for a 4:30 p.m. contest with Freeman, a veritable novice to the tournament but ranked No. 1.

Thanks a bunch.

The Cougars (19-4), who lost to third-ranked Burbank in the final of this past weekend's SCAC district final, don't really care who their opponent is. It's that they're in that matters most.

White Swan had finished no worse than third place in the SCAC West and won more than 70 percent of its conference games (36-14) since its last state berth. Still, the Cougars couldn't get out of district.

Adding salt to the wound, they had to watch the White Swan's boys head to state four times during that span.

"That was frustrating, along with watching the talent of the girls (in the tournament) and knowing we can play with some of those teams," said fourth-year coach Adam Strom.

This season started inauspiciously as well. Two-time all-SCAC selection Sheena Strom, the coach's niece, was sidelined until February after having a baby in December.

Her absence, however, pushed other players into new roles and the team improved.

"It's been a blessing in disguise on the court," Adam Strom said. "They were ready to step out of the shadow -- and that's a big shadow with her a two-time all-league player."

Key to the offense is sophomore Andrea Blodgett, who earned the SCAC West Most Valuable Player. Blodgett leads the Cougars with a 12.6 point-per-game average.

"I've seen an abundant amount of growth in her and I'll continue to," the coach said. "I honestly don't know of anybody who works harder than Andrea in practice and games. There's one thing you can't really coach and that's work ethic; that's instilled within and that's deep with her."

Shelbi Strom, Sheena's freshman sister, also picked up some of the slack by averaging more than seven points and three assists per game. Stepping up as well were seniors Sammy Jo Plumlee and Nancy Donato, who made the three-hour trip along with the coach and Sheena Strom to watch the draw in Renton on Sunday.

"It felt like March Madness; there were no TVs or anything, but it had that feeling," the coach said.

That they drew the defending champs didn't scare the SCAC district runners-up. The Cougars' nerves were already on full throttle.

"There are some nerves with the expectation and I kind of like it that way," Adam Strom.

Truth be told, this Colfax team is a step down from the one that's won two of the past three titles. Gone is a senior class that accounted for about 55 points per game last season.

Still, the Bulldogs (15-9) are ranked seventh and four of their losses came to the top-ranked Scotties, who open against a Leopards team that took the fourth and final state berth out of the SCAC.

Second-year Zillah coach Tony Fritz knows White Swan's pain. The Leopards met Colfax in the opening round and lost 47-36 before finishing with two straight games and taking eighth.

This year Zillah caught no breaks with a Scotties team that is 20-2 and whose only losses are to Class 2A competitors Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) and Pullman.

"I'm looking forward to it," Fritz said. "If you want to be the best you have to beat the best and Freeman's No. 1 for a reason."

With just three seniors, the Leopards spent much of the season finding their identity. After starting the season 5-6, the Leopards have won 10 of 13.

"Our kids looked at each other waiting for someone to step up and it's taken awhile," he said. "This team has grown a lot over the last three months. We went from having very limited leadership to what I truly want to say is a team of leaders.

"The girls are taking ownership of this team and what it means to be a Leopard."

The balanced scoring attack is led by junior Rondelle Guthrie (9.0 ppg), who should be close to full strength after suffering a concussion at the district tournament.

Chelsey Delvo (8.5 ppg) and Gentry Affholter (8.1 ppg) add to the scoring punch. Delvo also pulls down nine rebounds a contest.