The Class 2A tournament will be held in
Yakima for the last time this week. Below, readers share their favorite
memories over the years.
My most memorable moment was
in 2003. The East Valley girls, back in the Jack Cleveland era,
won their second state championship, and from a parents'
standpoint it was very special for me because I had a two
daughters on that team, Tana Stickney as a freshman and my
oldest, Amanda Stickney. It was a very special time as a repeat
championship but double sweet because it was my oldest's second
championship and her sister got to be part of the second.
Wes Stickney
The best boys championship
game to date, in my opinion, was Wapato and Blaine in 2000. You
had two McDonald players on the court, Robbie Wilcox from Wapato
and, of course, Luke Ridnour from Blaine. This game went into
overtime. Wapato had the game won, but Ridnour took the game
into his own. Still remember Luke somehow passing the ball to
himself, maybe off another player along the sidelines, as he
stepped around the trap? Maybe someone has a game clip of that
move that we're still trying to remember how he did it. All in
all, an incredible game.
Rob Valicoff
The 2003 boys state
championship game, Nooksack Valley vs. Pullman. Fred Peete vs.
the entire NV squad. Two of the greatest 2A teams ever
assembled, and a game-winning shot made by NV.
Phillip Hinrichs
My daughter Angie's team
placed four years in a row (2000-third place, 2001-fifth place,
2002-first place, 2003-first place and co-MVP).
Ken Ibach
Wapato places third in 1999
(first state trophy in a long time), '00 places second (barely),
and '01 places fifth (backs against the wall). 9-3 record in
three years at the YakDome ... not bad!!!! Maybe more trophies
if Wapato stayed in the 2A ranks?? Go Wolves!!
Josh Zepol
I never seen the SunDome as
packed as it was the night Larry Usher and his Wapato Wolves
fought hard to try and capture the 2A state title, but Luke
Ridnour carried his Borderites to the victory in stellar
fashion. What a game! It was one for the ages.
Aaron
Vasquez
My favorite moment was in 2003
when Nooksack made their state championship run. They played
extremely well the first three days and completely outplayed
their opponents. Jason Heutink hit the game-winning shot with
1.6 seconds left against Pullman in the championship to complete
the dream season.
Derek Vinkes
Trophies? Placing? Let us not
forget those players, teams and fans that just get a short taste
of what the tourney is all about. As a teacher/coach for more
than 30 years, it was a special experience for my family when
our daughter's team qualified for the tourney in '02. JUST TO BE
IN THE TOURNEY, PERIOD, was a special deal. The Lady Rockets
even won a game in the tourney, that in itself was a shocker.
Always just a great event.
Jon Davidson
We didn't even win our
district but found ourselves playing on Saturday in 2001 for fourth and
seventh against a powerful Chelan team led by Big Schramm, Nicki
Haerling and Coco Poirier. The lead changed hands four or five
times in the last minute, with our sophomore point guard, Ashley
Rodman, getting her tourney-record 12th assist to win it. It
wasn't sealed until a Schramm eight-footer rolled off the rim at
the buzzer to finalize a one-point win.
Glen Flanagan
A packed SunDome and (East
Valley's girls) winning the championship game is a special
moment I will never forget. The whole season just kept building
and building so much that I could just feel a victory coming!
Another special memory is a young Ladonna Downs. She was very
nervous to play in the SunDome. My niece said to her in a rather
stern voice, which was meant to get her attention, "Catch my
passes or I will pass to someone else." Well ,Ladonna caught
about seven high lob passes in a row and she was delighted and
an instant star! Third memory is a secret between Angie Ibach,
Elyse Mengarelli, myself and the trophy Angie won!! Shh!
