Loaded brackets hit both boys, girls fields at 1B tourney

YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Basketball fans will rise early for the boys and stay late for the girls to start this year's Class 1B state tournament.

In the brackets the WIAA released Sunday, state contenders were lumped together at the top for the boys and at the bottom for the girls. Sunnyside Christian, a favorite for the title in both genders, is right in the middle of both.

The defending state champion boys from SC will kick things off against a strong Odessa squad at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the SunDome. But the marquee game of that day probably will be the first game played between the Liberty Christian boys and Entiat at 9 a.m.

Third at last year's first 1B tourney, the Patriots were the top-ranked team in the final Associated Press poll and the Tigers were fourth. Both are contenders -- Entiat took fifth last year -- for the title and will face a tough task right at the beginning.

At the bottom part of this loaded half, the third-ranked Knights drew a pesky Odessa squad in the first round for the second straight season. These Tigers fell 49-29 in last year's opener before St. John-Endicott eliminated them in the second round.

In the lower boys bracket, Klickitat got a strong Garfield-Palouse squad at 4 p.m. for the team's first state draw since 1967. The Vandals also must contend with Cusick, Lopez or Lake Quinault. Those last two teams, ranked second and fifth, respectively, close out the boys' first day with a matchup at 9 p.m.

The bottom bracket is where most of the contenders ended up for the girls crown. Top-ranked Sunnyside Christian, runner-up at last year's tourney, opens this half against Mary M. Knight at 4 p.m.

This lower bracket also includes second-ranked Garfield-Palouse (fifth last year) and fourth-ranked Entiat (eighth last year). A dangerous St. John-Endicott squad opens things with Curlew, which was seventh last year and possesses plenty of state experience.

In the top for the girls, one half of the Trout Lake-Glenwood duo makes its state debut. Trout Lake never has been to the state tournament -- Glenwood has won three state trophies -- and draws a tough opener against third-ranked Colton at 10:30 a.m. The Wildcats made the semifinals before losing to the Knights and taking third last year.

Fifth-ranked Lake Quinault will open against Pateros at 12:30 p.m. in another top bracket matchup. Both made state last year but didn't trophy.