The little team that always could nearly did again Saturday afternoon.

White Swan’s scrappy girls squad, which spends a fair amount of the time hitting the floor after loose balls, just couldn’t pick itself up this time.

Too much of Freeman’s Jessie DePell and Claire Moberg, an 18-point halftime deficit and Cougars star Andrea Blodgett hobbled with a turned left ankle was enough to keep White Swan from victory.

Just enough.

The Cougars fought back using their familiar frenetic pace to claw within four points late in the fourth before the Scotties escaped with a 51-45 point win and fourth place in the Class 1A state tournament in the SunDome. White Swan finished seventh for its second trophy in as many years.

“This team doesn’t know how to quit,” Cougars coach Joe Blodgett said after a lengthy postgame talk with his team. “They won’t let anything — anything — stand in their way.”

All that could trip up the Cougars this year were two-time defending state champion Colfax in the state quarterfinals and Scotties (23-3) on Saturday. Against the eight teams in Saturday’s trophy round the Cougars (25-2) held a 6-2 mark.

“We thought we could do it,” a teary-eyed Andrea Blodgett said of the comeback. “We just fell a little short.”

The first half was one to forget for White Swan. A paltry 15 percent shooting was compounded by 14 turnovers. Adding salt was Blodgett’s injury with just more than two minutes left before the break.

“In this state tournament they came out a little apprehensive in each game,” Joe Blodgett said. “The style we play often gets us in foul trouble (so they pulled back).”

DePell, the reigning Class 1A state player of the year and 2005 state tournament MVP, scored 13 points before intermission, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the first quarter to put the Scotties up 15-5. They extended the lead to 28-10 at the break.

“Three years with her is a coach’s dream,” Freeman coach Eric Gregg said.

Andrea Blodgett remained on the bench having her ankle taped heavily during the first few minutes of the intermission. When the Cougars returned to the court, she tested it before deciding to give it a go.

“For a lot of individuals it would’ve been over,” said Joe Blodgett, relating a story of how his daughter once downplayed what turned out to be a broken wrist to play in a tournament a couple years ago. “She was not going to end her season on the bench.”

Freeman maintained its double-digit lead until the final two minutes of the third quarter when Shelbi Strom made a shot to pull the Cougars to within nine (34-25). The lead would dip to no less than nine until White Swan made one final run.

Alexandria Allen assisted on a Danielle Blodgett basket and then followed with her own baseline runner to bring the Cougars to within five at 46-41. DePell pushed the lead back to seven with a pair of free throws before Andrea Blodgett, who had ripped the tape off her ankle just moment earlier, trimmed the lead to four with a 3-pointer.

But 48-44 was the closest the Cougars would get.

“Those kids have a lot of heart,” Gregg said of the Cougars. “I would hate to play them at their house.”

DePell and Mosberg, a Yakima Valley Community College recruit, shared game-high honors with 21 points apiece for the Scotties, who earned their second straight state trophy.

Andrea Blodgett led the Cougars with 12 points and Danielle Blodgett and Allen each had 11.

“This year has been so much fun, it’s been unforgettable,” Andrea Blodgett said. “We’ve accomplished so much with hard work and playing together.”
 

Freeman -- Miller 1-4 1-6 3, Taylor 0-0 0-0 0, D. Moberg 0-2 0-0 0, Heinen 0-4 2-2 2, C. Moberg 7-16 7-15 21, Raines 0-6 1-2 1, DePell 5-12 10-12 21, Carrell 1-2 0-0 3, Richardson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-46 21-37 51.
White Swan -- Allen 5-10 1-3 11, Lawrence 1-1 0-0 2, Reed 0-0 0-0 0, Strom 2-13 0-1 4, D. Blodgett 4-15 3-7 11, A. Blodgett 4-11 2-4 12, Suppah 0-0 0-0 0, Aranda 2-12 0-0 5, Bailey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-62 6-15 45.
Freeman	15	13	8	15	--	51
White Swan	5	5	15	20	--	45
3-point goals--F 2-4 (Carrell 1-1, DePell 1-3), WS 3-18 (A. Blodgett 2-5, Aranda 1-7, Allen 0-1, Strom 0-5). Rebounds--F 51 (C. Moberg 7, DePell 7, Raines 7), WS 38 (D. Blodgett 5). Assists--F 11 (DePell 3), WS 10 (Allen 3, Strom 3). Steals--F 9 (Heinen 3), WS 7 (Strom 2, A. Blodgett 2). Blocked shots--F 2, WS 4 (Strom 2, Aranda 2). Fouled out--Raines, A. Blodgett. Total fouls--F 17, WS 23. Technical fouls--None. Turnovers--F 21, WS 17.