Colfax, King's own
the titles, but LC might be the team to beat
 
By SCOTT SPRUILL
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Colfax and King's know how to party in the SunDome.

A year ago, Colfax captured its third straight Class 1A state girls basketball title, and the next week King's repeated its 2A championship.

The Colfax girls celebrate their 49-30 win over Bellevue Christian in last year's Class 1A state tournament in the SunDome.   JACKIE JOHNSTON/Associated Press file

There's a fair chance those streaks could have continued this year, but instead they will compete for the same big trophy when the 1A state tournament opens today.

And while that familiar pair has dominated in recent years, don't be surprised if the true trophy factory -- Lynden Christian -- rises up to claim the program's ninth state title on Saturday.

The Lyncs, who open in the 9 p.m. nightcap against Burbank, have amassed a 23-1 record and are coming off two postseason victories over King's, which concluded the regular season ranked No. 1.

What makes LC's record impressive is that it comes out of a 3A-2A-1A combined-class league. The lone loss was to Anacortes, the top-ranked team in 2A, on Jan. 23.

"Playing in this league, I never would have thought we'd be 23-1 right now," said LC coach Curt De Haan, who lost four seniors off last year's 2A state runner-up team. "We're playing some good basketball now and we'll try to keep that going."

Of the lower-seeded entries, De Haan feared drawing either Brewster or Burbank, which has an early-season win over Colfax to its credit.

Not only did the Lyncs draw Burbank, but Southwest District champ Toledo awaits as a possible quarterfinal opponent and Colfax is in the same semifinal bracket.

"It's going to be very competitive, maybe a little scary," said Colfax coach Corey Baerlocher. "When you look at who's in there and what they did last year, it's pretty amazing.

"Some one said, 'You're the defending champion here.' I said, 'Hey, nobody's defending. It's a whole new class."

In the top of the bracket is King's, which gets today's wake-up special at 9 a.m. against Kalama. The Knights (22-3) had a 16-game win streak snapped by Lynden Christian.

The Lyncs defeated King's 49-37 on Feb. 17 and 51-46 last Saturday. The Knights, however, were without Montana State recruit Sarah Strand, who was out sick for the second meeting.

"(LC) probably has two of the best players in the tournament (in Brianne Ryan and Kenzie De
Boer), and their coach ... how many championships has he won?" asked King's coach Eric Rasmussen. "And then you have Colfax. It reminds me of some of my first years in the early 90s and some of those fields. We're just looking at our first game."

Lurking in the top of the bracket is Chelan (22-3), which had an 11-game win streak stopped Saturday by Colfax.

"Last summer we went over and played in a Cashmere tournament and Chelan got us twice. They were tough," De Haan said. "And the year before at basketball camp we played Colfax, and those were close games."

Sandwiched between King's and Chelan in the top bracket are Brewster, which has the tournament's high scorer in senior Kayla Evans (23.9), and SCAC District champ Connell, who has BYU recruit Coriann Wood (22.2).

"It's going to be an amazing tournament," said Bellevue Christian coach Beth Campbell, whose team opens against Toledo. "You just look at the teams and the talent they have. There isn't a good draw anywhere."