The 2022-2023 regular season is finished and local high school basketball teams are preparing for a postseason that is sure to include heroics and heartaches.

Five teams from the Edmonds School District have qualified for their respective District 1 3A tournaments that begin play on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 8 and 9.

The contingent is led by the boys from Mountlake Terrace as the Hawks posted a regular season record of 15-5 overall and 13-2 in the 3A Wesco League, capturing the league’s regular season title and earning the top seed in the District 1 3A Boys Basketball Tournament. The Hawks, who won the District 1 tourney championship last year, begin their defense of the title on Saturday, Feb. 11, when they host the winner of the Everett Seagulls vs. Snohomish Panthers first round game.

Also in the District 1 boys tournament this year are the Edmonds-Woodway Warriors; E-W, 8-12 overall and the no.10-seed in the tourney, faces off against the no.7-seeded Stanwood Spartans on Thursday, Feb. 9, in a first round, loser-out game set for Thursday, Feb. 9, at Stanwood High School.

In the District 1 3A Girls Basketball Tournament, three local teams will see action. The Lynnwood Lady Royals, after a 14-5 overall and 12-3 in Wesco League games, have grabbed the no.4-seed in the district tourney and will begin play at home on Friday, Feb. 10, against the winner of the Meadowdale Mavericks vs. Shorecrest Scots first-round game.

The no.5-seeded Mavericks, 15-5 overall and 11-4 in Wesco League play, must face the no.12-seeded Scots in a District 1 tourney first-round, loser-out game set for Wednesday, Feb. 9; that tilt will be played at Meadowdale High School.

Also beginning their postseason at home in a first-round, loser-out game will the no.8-seeded Mountlake Terrace Lady Hawks. The Hawks finished the regular season 11-9 overall and 8-7 in the 3A Wesco League and must get past the no.9-seeded Monroe Bearcats on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in order to continue in the District 1 tournament.

After the initial loser-out games on Wednesday and Thursday, the two District 1 tournaments become double-elimination affairs and will continue into next week. The top five teams from each of the 12-team tourneys will move on to the regional round of the WIAA 3A state basketball tournaments to be played Feb. 21-25. 

The final rounds of the state basketball championships, staged at the Tacoma Dome, will take place March 1-4.

District 1 3A Boys & Girls Basketball Tournaments opening games (Edmonds School District teams)

– Shorecrest girls at Meadowdale; Wednesday, Feb. 8; 7 p.m. at Meadowdale High School (District 1 3A Girls Basketball Tournament first-round loser-out game)

– Monroe girls at Mountlake Terrace; Wednesday, Feb. 8; 7 p.m. at Mountlake Terrace High School (District 1 3A Girls Basketball Tournament first-round loser-out game)

– Edmonds boys at Stanwood; Thursday, Feb. 9; 7 p.m. at Stanwood High School (District 1 3A Boys Basketball Tournament first round loser-out game)

– Winner of Shorecrest-Meadowdale girls game at Lynnwood Royals; Friday, Feb. 10; 7 p.m. at Lynnwood High School (District 1 3A Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game)

– Wnner of Everett-Snohomish boys game at Mountlake Terrace Hawks; Saturday, Feb. 11; 7 p.m. at Mountlake Terrace High School (District 1 3A Boys Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game)

— By Doug Petrowski