Wapato, Grandview battle
for more than bragging rights

By SCOTT SPRUILL and SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

In their previous two meetings this season, Wapato and Grandview played for their rivalry and rankings in the upper tier of CWAC boys basketball.

Today it will be for so much more.

For the second time in four years, Wapato and Grandview will try to eliminate each other from the trophy round in a 9 a.m. loser-out clash today in the Class 2A state tournament.

Battling back from their first-round setbacks, the Greyhounds (17-9) first ousted Tumwater 58-48 on Thursday and then the Wolves (18-6) sent River Ridge packing, 69-54.

"Roy (Garcia) will have his guys ready, we sure know that, and it will be an intense game," said Wapato coach Adam Strom. "Grandview can run and shoot and they're quick to the ball -- a lot like us."

Each team won on its home court this season. Grandview prevailed 75-74 on Dec. 11 as Adrian Vela broke loose for 27 points, and Wapato won 68-57 on Jan. 23 with five players scoring in double figures.

In the 2007 state 2A tournament in Tacoma, Grandview eliminated Wapato in the Friday loser-out round, 42-36.

"It will definitely be an exciting game," Strom said, "but I sure wish it was on Saturday so we'd both get trophies."

Today's winner will play the Mount Baker-Clarkston survivor on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. for fifth and eighth place.

NEVER SAY DIE: Early in the second half of their Thursday loser-out girls game, the Kingston Buccaneers were trailing by 20 points against a Squalicum lineup filled with taller, quicker, better-skilled athletes. And to the Buccaneers, that simply didn't matter.

"We weren't going down without a fight," said Elle Sander, one of three Kingston seniors.

And they sure didn't. Scrapping every step of the way, Kingston actually rallied from that 38-18 deficit to pull within 48-44 with 1:13 remaining before the Storm put the game away at the free-throw line.

"We haven't had to do that (rally from a large deficit) very often before," said coach Penny Gienger, "but I knew we had fight in us."

Gienger, who left a long career as Bainbridge coach after last season, became the Bucs' coach on an interim basis when the previous coach resigned just days before the season began. Considering the fire the Bucs demonstrated on Thursday, it's not surprising Gienger holds them in high regard.

"They were a breath of fresh air," Gienger said. "This was one of my favorite seasons ever."

YOUTH BOOST: In combating River Ridge's much taller lineup on Thursday, Wapato's boys got a nice lift from 6-foot-3 Austin Balderas, a freshman.

Called on with increasing frequency in the postseason, the young post made 3 of 5 field goals, got to the foul line twice and grabbed two rebounds in just over 10 minutes.

"Austin will be something special," said Wapato coach Adam Strom following his team's 69-54 win over the Hawks. "In my five years here, he's our first legit back-to-the-basket post player. He's got great hands and a good mind for the game -- plus he plugs up the middle for us."

River Ridge had its own impact ninth-grader in guard Brad Wallace, who led the Hawks with 16 points.

IN THE NAME OF THE GRANDFATHER: Burlington-Edison's Katelyn Mataya plays a mean game of basketball, and it's in her blood.

Her late grandfather, Frank Mataya Sr., is believed to be the only athlete ever to earn 12 varsity letters at Washington State University, and he did it in an era when freshmen were not eligible for varsity letters. That meant three letters in each of four different sports, if you can believe that -- football, basketball, baseball and track.

Katelyn isn't wasting any seasons herself. Just a sophomore, she already has five varsity letters.

SHORT JUMPERS: The Lynden boys' 59-31 quarterfinal victory over Deer Park on Thursday was their 100th state tournament victory in school history. "We're proud to be part of that tradition," Lynden coach Brian Roper said. "We respect the players and coaches who came before us." ... After six 3-pointers on Wednesday and three on Thursday, Taylor Ulrich, a senior forward on the Squalicum girls team, is 9-for-19 on treys through two games. The tournament record for made 3's is 13, held by two players, one of whom -- Elma's Katie Colard -- has five treys in two games.