Today's quarterfinal between top-ranked Lynden Christian and reigning champion Colfax could either end the most impressive run of basketball titles in state history — four straight, unmatched by any other boys or girls team in the state, any classification — or bring the Bulldogs one step closer to adding to their remarkable legacy.

Here's something else to consider: Had the Bulldogs not dropped a double-overtime, 48-46 thriller in the 2003 tournament to Brewster — the only close game the Bears had in that year's tourney — they'd be working on a string of six straight titles. They had won in 2002, and in 2003, Corey Baerlocher was in his first year as the Colfax coach and already had the Bulldogs playing with the same kind of competitive intensity they have demonstrated ever since. That year, the top three teams in the state — Brewster, King's and Colfax — were all in the same side of the bracket, and the Bears and Bulldogs met in the quarterfinals.

Considering the way Brewster hammered King's by
16 and then won the final by 21, one might presume that Colfax would have done the same thing.

Considering how impressive the Bulldogs' four-year title run has been ... what could we possibly say about six straight? Or, gulp, seven?

COLFAX DYNASTY, PART II: Even more impressive than the Bulldogs' girls basketball dynasty, if that's possible, might be the perennial Colfax volleyball excellence under the guidance of Sue Doering. Doering has coached her teams to the last four state titles — with many of the same girls who have helped Baerlocher's teams — and six of the last eight.

Now Doering, a class act who is almost universally admired throughout the state's volleyball community, is getting some big-time national love. Doering, who's at this week's tournament to root the Bulldog girls on, received word last week that she has been chosen as 2008 national coach of the year for volleyball by the National High School Coaches Association.

CONSPICUOUS ABSENCE: When Lynden Christian's undefeated girls came out for their opening-round game against Toledo, one rather glaring omission — one wearing blue jeans and sitting on the bench. That was Brianne Ryan, who could very well be the 1A player of the year.

Injured? No. Lyncs coach Curt De Haan, when asked just prior to the game about her situation, pulled out a piece of paper that said simply that she had violated a team rule and that her absence was disciplinary.

Would it just be for one game, though? Ryan wasn't needed against Toledo, who the Lyncs outscored 24-2 in the second quarter and won by 39 points behind Kenzie De Boer's
24 points.

But would she play today against Colfax.

Replied De Haan, somewhat ominously, "I don't know."

THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON? For the Connell Eagles, this was to be the year that a state championship trophy came home to the Connell trophy case — a football trophy. After finishing second in 2006, the Eagles were ranked No. 1 all year until losing to Royal in the Tacoma Dome finale.

Perhaps that experience of playing on the big stage was why the Eagles seemed so cool, calm and efficient in their 59-55 victory over the heavily-favored King's Knights, who many observers considered the team to beat here. Well, Connell turned out to be the one to beat them.

"We've played in two state championship football games and we've lost them. So for a lot of us, this is our last chance at a state championship," said Brett Clyde, who is the Eagles' quarterback on both the football field and the basketball court. "No one really gave us a chance against these guys — hey, we love being underdogs."

Connell, which will face top-ranked Bellevue Christian in today's quarterfinals, was arguably the most impressive winner on the tournament's opening day, which raised the question: How weird would be if Connell, that powerhouse football program, came away with a basketball title.

"We're a football school," said Clyde, who scored 22 points in Wednesday's victory. "Winning a state basketball championship would be pretty weird. It'd be like ... what the heck?"

SHORT SHOTS: Neither the program nor the announcer was kind to White Swan's boys. The game-by-game listed on their page was that of White Pass, which went 7-12, and that was the record announced over the P.A. for the Cougars before their game. After their win over Lakeside, they are now 20-5. ... Will Ferrell, you've got competition on that Saturday Night Live routine with Christopher Walken: The Toledo band has a cowbell, too. More cowbell! We need more cowbell!