YAKIMA — Lynden girls basketball proved to be Ellensburg’s kryptonite once again, defeating the Bulldogs for the second straight year in the 2A state championship game, this time 54-37 on Saturday, March 8 in the Yakima Valley SunDome.
It is Lynden’s fifth state title in school history — all under head coach Rob Adams, who returned to the team last year after a three-year absence. Last year, the Lions snapped the Bulldogs’ 75-game win streak. This time, it was all about Lynden and its quest for back-to-back championships.
“Ellensburg is a great team, so to come out with our best, it’s awesome,” Lynden sophomore Finley Parcher said. “Everyone on this team has worked tremendously hard.”
Gallery: 1A/2A state hoops Day 4
The Lions’ offense struggled early with several missed open shots. But Lynden’s size and strength allowed them to dominate early. In the first four minutes, Finley Parcher piled up five points and a couple of rebounds.
No. 2 Ellensburg responded by allowing top-seeded Lynden to continue to shoot open 3-pointers and limit opportunities in the paint. Lynden shot 21.4% from behind the arc in the first half.
“The irony is we have had a certain offense sitting in our pocket since Christmas to get ready for the triangle and two defense,” Adams said. “We had a couple teams this season during blowouts try that against us, but we were not going to run it because it might come at a time.”
The time finally came when Lexi Hermanutz and Kiki York nailed a pair of 3-pointers.
“It feels nice that we were able to accomplish something we have been chasing since the beginning of the year,” York said.
Although Lynden’s offense began to click, the Bulldogs began to find some rhythm. Payton Mills banked a 14-foot jump shot to end the quarter with a 15-10 lead.
Lynden took a double digit lead when Reese Nyhoff nailed a 3-point shot with about a minute left. The Lions, who remained on the court during the break, took a 24-14 lead at halftime.
Lynden’s defense led to its transition offense scoring easy baskets. Parcher was able to break through Ellensburg’s press and make a couple more layups. The Lions held a 41-29 lead after the third quarter.
Mills scored the first points for either team in the fourth quarter after three minutes of scoreless action. Since neither team was able to score willingly in the fourth quarter, Lynden was able to cruise to the lone state title in Yakima.
Lynden finished the season with a perfect 28-0 record and only graduates two seniors: York and Melanie Anderson.
The (seniors) showed us hard work, dedication and leadership,” Parcher said. “We will miss them a lot. They meant so much to us.”
LC boys fall to Annie Wright in title game
The Lynden Christian boys had one of the toughest tasks to win a state title this season, trying to defeat No. 62 nationally ranked Annie Wright. Although the Lyncs fought until the final buzzer, they couldn’t overcome the Gators’ powerful lineup, losing 59-46 and placing second in the 1A state tournament.
“I knew they were good,” LC coach Tim Zylstra said. “We almost had to play perfect and you can’t ask 15 or 16-year-old kids to play perfect all the time. We played our tails off and the first half, every 50/50 ball went their way.”
Although Annie Wright’s boys program has only been around for five seasons, the Lyncs were familiar with the Gators, losing to them in the state semifinals last season.
“We were never aiming for second in the first place, but the way I look at it, from a Christian point of view, it was a David and Goliath story,” LC senior Gannon Dykstra said. “They got stronger and bigger this year. We gave our best battle, and glory to God we made it this far.”
It was a slow-paced game where both teams struggled to find uncontested shots in the first quarter. The Lyncs held a 4-3 lead halfway through the first quarter but Annie Wright’s defensive pressure started to break the Lyncs down. Annie Wright went on an 8-0 run until Dawson Hintz assisted Kaden Veldman for an open layup.
“They defend like crazy,” Zylstra said. “It’s hard to get into their stuff.”
The Gators finished the first quarter with a 13-9 lead after Gannon Dykstra made three free throws in the final seconds.
Gunnar Dykstra opened the second quarter with a 25-foot 3-pointer to narrow the lead. After a 5-0 Annie Wright run, Luke VanKooten answered with a 3-pointer to make it 19-17. Annie Wright held a 29-22 lead at halftime.
Annie Wright kicked it into another gear in the third quarter with a combination of its size and athleticism to take a double-digit lead. The Gators finished the third quarter with a 43-29 lead.
Gunnar Dykstra sparked the Lyncs within the first couple of minutes in the fourth quarter with a pair of 3-pointers.
“I was so proud of the (younger guys),” Ganon Dykstra said. “We started three sophomores the entire year and we had a young team. I am proud of them playing their role.”
But Annie Wright went into cruise control and captured the school’s first boys basketball state title in their five-year history.
Lynden Christian girls secure third-place trophy
Lynden Christian girls captured the program’s 20th straight state trophy with a 50-36 win over Annie Wright to claim third place at the 1A state tournament Saturday, March 8 at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
It is the Lyncs’ ninth third-place trophy and 40th team trophy in school history.
“It never gets any easier,” coach Brady Bomber said. “We are blessed to have a program built over many years and have many players and coaches establish this program. We are thankful to be a part of the next chapter.”
Lynden Christian’s season began with unfortunate news as star senior Grace Hintz was going to be out for the entire season with a torn ACL. The Lyncs dealt with bumps and bruises throughout the season but kept the success rolling until the final day in Yakima.
“Every group has their own story and this group has a unique one,” Bomber said. “I am really proud of our girls and the way they committed to competing for each other and the unselfish way they approached the game. Every day was enjoyable to show up.”
Top-seeded Lynden Christian and No. 5 Annie Wright opened up the third/fifth place game with an even battle. The Lyncs took a 10-8 lead after the first eight minutes. In the second quarter, Lynden Christian’s shooting took control of the game.
Tyra Dykstra had a hot hand in the first half, scoring 12 points from four 3-pointers. Allison Shumate also dominated the paint with eight points in the first two quarters and finished with a team-high 14 points. The Lyncs had a 29-15 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Lynden Christian took a 47-29 lead with Ella Fritts scoring seven of her 11 points during that span. With a couple of minutes left in the fourth quarter and the game secured, the seniors walked off the court for the final time and were greeted with hugs.
“This senior class embraced the values we want to represent,” Bomber said. “They represented their school, community and faith well. They were willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. We are going to miss them on the basketball court but miss them more as people.”
Lynden Christian finished the season with a 22-4 record.
Meridian boys capture fourth-place trophy
Meridian boys basketball secured a fourth-place trophy in the 1A boys state tournament after defeating Chelan, 59-48; their best finish since placing second in 2010 — and the program’s first win on a Saturday in Yakima in school history.
“It means the world,” coach Shane Stacy said. “We maximized our time together. When you maximize your time together, there is a reason you keep going. You care for each other and it is special.”
The process of Meridian’s chase for a trophy began when now-seniors Jaeger Fyfe and Talon Jenkins began playing together in fifth grade. The two of them knew by the time they graduated, they would bring back some hardware with them.
“You look at the trophy and the thoughts coming to your mind are all those hours in the gym late at night or early in the morning,” Jenkins said. “All the times you get yelled at or yelled at by your teammates, all the hours working on free throws, your whole career flashes.”
Jenkins and Fyfe finished their career responsible for 49 of Meridian’s 59 points against Chelan.
“Talon sent me a quote a month ago,” Stacy said. “‘The work that is done in the dark will always come to the light.’ The time Jaeger and Talon put in, these younger players have witnessed it.”
In the first quarter, Fyfe caught fire, draining four 3-pointers and a layup to give Meridian a 19-4 lead. Meridian finished the final couple of minutes with their bench, providing high intensity defense and keeping a 19-9 lead after the first quarter.
Fyfe kept the momentum rolling in the second quarter with another eight points. Jenkins also had seven at half. But Chelan’s fast-paced offense kept the Mountain Goats within striking distance. Meridian held a 33-23 lead at halftime
Jenkins scored nine points in the first five minutes of the third quarter to give Meridian an 11-4 run. The Trojans held a 49-33 lead after the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Canyon James and Brock Haugen played their final minutes while James Hedahl finished his senior campaign fouling out in the third quarter. All five seniors played a pivotal role in Meridian’s trophy.
“Their willingness to be coached and whatever they said, they would go with it,” Stacy said. “They kept giving us everything we had.”
Meridian finished the season with a 20-10 record and is already looking forward to creating a winning culture.
“We knew we were the leaders on the team, but I think we were some seeds being planted for other guys who can take it and run with it,” Jenkins said.
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
