Lynnwood made it look easy.
Against a team that many considered to be a top contender for the state title, the Royals steamrolled Bellevue 63-37 in a 3A semifinal game Friday at the Tacoma Dome.
Lynnwood (24-2) faces two-time defending state champion Cleveland (19-8) in the finals at 3 p.m., Saturday, March 7 in the Tacoma Dome. The Eagles knocked off Bishop Blanchet 55-48 in the other semifinal game.
The two teams met last year during the regular season with Cleveland pulling out the victory.
“They are trying to three-peat,” said Lynnwood coach Everett Edwards. “I’m sure they have all the motivation in the world to win tomorrow and so do we. We’re trying to make history. We’re trying to win a championship for Lynnwood High School. I couldn’t be more excited to play Cleveland tomorrow for the championship.”
Last year’s third place finish was the school’s best ever. Coming so close to a championship provided ample motivation for the Royals.
“It just makes you want it more when you fall short,” said senior Danielle Hayes, who finished with 10 points. “It gives you drive and motivation.”
Both Cleveland and Lynnwood are different teams having lost players from last year and added new ones this season.
“It’ll be a good game,” said junior Mikayla Pivec, who along with teammate Jordyn Edwards led the Royals with 15 points apiece.
“We’ll watch film and study them and be ready for the game,” Hayes added.
Lynnwood trailed 6-4 midway through the first quarter and then went on a 22-0 run that extended well into the second quarter. When the Wolverines (24-4) finally made a basket at the 2:55 mark, they trailed 26-8. The Royals went into halftime ahead 32-12. An 8-2 run by Lynnwood to start the third quarter pretty much ended Bellevue’s slim hopes of a comeback.
The smiles from the Lynnwood players over the win was somewhat tempered by the loss of senior Monty Cooper, who was walking around on crutches after leaving the game with a bad ankle sprain late in the first quarter. She did not return and her status for Saturday’s championship game was unknown.
“It’s hard,” Hayes said. “We were all just crying in the locker room. We know we’re going to fight for her.”
Cooper, a 5-foot-10 wing, gives the Royals some inside toughness. She scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds in Thursday’s win over West Seattle.
“I hope and pray that she’ll be OK, but tomorrow doesn’t look good,” Edwards said. “Our team stepped up big time. Monty is a major part of what we do and I hope she’s available to play tomorrow.”
Lynnwood’s defense again stifled their opponents’ offense. Bellevue shot 23 percent from the field, 17 percent in the first half. The Wolverines made only 2 of 14 3-pointers. The Royals hit a sizzling 49 percent of their shots from the field and were even better 5 for 9 from 3-point land (55 percent). Lynnwood also had a 39 to 25 edge in rebounds, against a Bellevue squad with many players 6-feet or taller.
“When it counted we stepped up and played very physical,” Edwards said.
On defense, Lynnwood focused on Shelby Cansler and Mandy Steward, holding the two to a combined 13 points. No Bellevue player scored in double figures. Kelsey Rogers was Lynnwood’s fourth player in double figures with 12 points.
“We wanted to put extra attention on them (Cansler and Steward) and have somebody else score their points,” Edwards said. “I think we executed that strategy pretty good.”
Lynnwood has outscored its semifinal and quarterfinal opponents by a combined score of 123-73.
“I think after these two games, we feel a lot of confidence,” Pivec said. “A lot of people scored (against Bellevue) – four people in double figures. … I feel like we’re on a high right now.”
Hayes agreed with her teammate that the Royals aren’t overconfident, especially against the two-time state champions.
“We’re really comfortable with our style of play and we know we’re facing good team,” Hayes said. “We can’t be cocky.”
Edwards still thinks Lynnwood hasn’t quite peaked.
“In a weird way, we still haven’t played our best game, I feel” Edwards said. “But we’re playing pretty darn good.”
Edwards especially appreciated the play Hayes, who he said doesn’t receive enough credit.
“The unsung hero for me is Dani Hayes,” Edwards said. “She doesn’t score all the points and she doesn’t get the limelight … She is the heart of our team. At 5-foot-3, she’ll stand up to anybody and fight anybody on the court and she is just a great leader for our team.”
The significant of tomorrow’s championship game is not lost on the players. No Lynnwood basketball team has ever played in a state title game.
“I think it means a lot. It’s never happened before for our school,” Hayes said.
“It’s really exciting. Some people had tears in the locker room,” Pivec said. “It’s a great feeling.”
– By David Pan
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