For years, something happened each time Granger’s boys played a first-round Class 1A state tournament game.

Sometimes it was bad, other times it was worse.

One year the Spartans would run into a vastly superior opponent, the next they would shrink beneath the bright lights of the SunDome. And they would lose, often by unsightly margins.

Wednesday afternoon, however, none of that mattered.

Granger stormed onto the dome’s north court as if they owned it, and went on to outhustle, outquick and outplay Charles Wright Academy, 60-40.

Not only did the victory vault the Spartans (20-4) into a 7:30 quarterfinal Thursday against River View, a team they’ve beaten twice this season, it was the school’s first first-round state win since 1991 when Granger was Class B.

It was the Spartans’ first opening-round Class 1A win, period, and it boosted them to the 20-win mark for the first time in this classification, too.

“We’ve talked about this stuff quite a bit, actually,” said senior guard Edward Castro, who led Granger with 19 points. “But this was pretty much the way we played all year, and we just wanted to keep playing that way here.”

The way the Spartans played Wednesday was exceedingly efficient.

They jumped on the Tacoma-based Tarriers (13-9) to the tune of 21-6 and 25-10 leads before settling for a 37-18 halftime cushion.

And they did it by compiling a 40-30 rebounding advantage and by winning most of the hustle plays.

“We’re pretty quick to loose balls and long rebounds,” Granger coach David Gibb said. “Charles Wright probably had some first-game jitters, and we can identify with that. And sometimes our style of going a hundred miles an hour up and down the court can be hard to adjust to.”

Even with the Spartans shooting only 40 percent (23 for 57), because they made 8 of 26 3-pointers.

Castro hit 4 of 10 from long range, sophomore R.J. Solis was 3 for 7 en route to 13 points and junior floor leader Mario Mengarelli had nine points and four assists.

Matt Castro, Granger’s tallest starter at 6-foot-1, led the rebounders with eight while the 5-8 Solis and 5-9 reserve David Alegria had five each.

Houston Jackson, a 6-1 senior, led Charles Wright with 14 points and 6-0 sophomore Patrick Philley had 13.

“What we’re trying to do is just go out and play as a team,” Mengarelli said. “We’re trying to focus on that, to just do what we do.”

In doing so, Granger rendered moot most strategies Charles Wright brought to the game.

“They beat us on the boards and hurt us with their quickness and speed,” Tarriers coach Tyler Francis said. “A key for us was we wanted to keep this thing in the 40s, and they scored, what, 60?

“On the other hand, most of our kids had never participated in a state event. So now it’s a one-game season for us. Maybe whoever we play next will watch film of this game. That would be to our advantage.”

How good was Wednesday for the Spartans? Gibb was able to rest his starters and, with his team leading by as many as 26 points during the second half, he ordered his team into a spread-court slowdown.

“I ask them to slow it down, and they look at me like I’m crazy,” Gibb said.

No problem now, though. Granger is a first-day winner, and instead of rising early for a loser-out game today, the Spartans can relish their status as a prime-time participant.

“I can see why they were 19-4 and ranked fifth in the state,” Francis said. “They’re not just quick. They’re good.”

Charles Wright -- Jackson 7-12 0-0 14, Sewell 0-0 0-0 0, Phillips 1-3 0-0 3, Gardner 0-0 0-0 0, Parker 0-0 0-0 0, Philley 5-14 0-0 13, Artis 2-11 2-6 6, McLeod 0-1 0-0 0, Fan 0-1 0-0 0, Ehlers 1-4 0-0 2, Colignon 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 17-48 2-6 40.
Granger -- Solis 5-12 0-0 13, Dodd 1-3 0-0 2, Cortez 2-9 0-0 5, Mengarelli 3-6 3-4 9, Rodriguez 0-0 0-0 0, E. Castro 7-14 1-1 19, Cortez 2-4 0-0 4, Martinez 0-0 0-0 0, Arriaga 0-2 1-2 1, Alegria 0-1 1-2 1, M. Castro 3-6 0-0 6, Lopez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-57 6-9 60.
Charles Wright	6	12	13	9	--	40
Granger	21	16	16	7	--	60
3-point goals--CW 4-10 (Philley 3-7, Phillips 1-1, Artis 0-1, Fan 0-1), G 8-26 (E. Castro 4-10, Solis 3-7, Cortez 1-7, Mengarelli 0-2). Rebounds--CW 30 (Colignon 6, Philley 6), G 40 (M. Castro 8). Assists--CW 3, G 14 (E. Castro 4, Mengarelli 4). Steals--CW 12 (Ehlers 3, Philley 3), G 12 (Solis 5). Blocked shots--CW 2, G 1. Fouled out--None. Total fouls --CW 13, G 8. Technical fouls--None. Turnovers--CW 19, G 20.