Columbia-Hunters too much for Lady Devils

YAKIMA — It still probably wouldn’t have been as exciting if the Wilson Creek Lady Devils won last night Class 1B state quarterfinal.

But it would have been one heck of a sequel to their emotional and record-breaking opening-round win.

However, Columbia-Hunters (23-4) must not have been seen the script as they came out quick, efficient, and simply better as they rolled to a 72-32 win over Wilson Creek on Thursday to advance to the Class 1B semifinals.

Wilson Creek (14-8) play Bickleton today at 2:30 p.m. with a chance to win and play in the 4th/7th place game on Saturday.

Bickleton fell 76-18 to defending state champions Colton in the semifinal.

“They were tough and we knew going in it would be a tough game for us,” Wilson Creek coach Dennis Treat said. “Kali Winfrey got injured and Ksenja (Fredere) was in foul trouble so we went for awhile with three or four people off the bench playing major minutes.”

Against Columbia-Hunters the Lady Devils were overwhelmed by the Lions’ defense which forced 41 turnovers and held Wilson Creek to only 28 shots taken, making nine.

The most telling stat was the Lions taking 86 total shots, 58 more than the Lady Devils.

“They pressed us from the very start and we didn’t handle it well at all,” Treat said. “That was the major thing and when Ksenja isn’t handling the ball we just can’t handle the pressure. We turned it over way too much.”

A Holly Wilson bucket pulled the Lady Devils to within 17-8 late in the first quarter before a last-second shot by the fourth-ranked Lions ended the scoring over the game’s first eight minutes.

“I hoped we could stay close but with the starters sitting down we started seeing it slip away from us,” Treat said. “We were hoping to stay close and one of the things we emphasized was they would put a lot of pressure on us and we needed to handle that and that was the main difference early.”

The second quarter the Lions continued their substitution pattern, rotating in ten of their players, and were able to build their lead to 35-15 at halftime.

Wilson Creek showed some of the mettle which helped them comeback from a double-digit deficit in the first-round to win, as they cut the Lions’ lead to 40-23.

But the Lions answered the run with a 12-0 run to end the quarter and the game was essentially over at 52-23.

“We put the starters back in at the beginning of the third quarter and did make a run at them,” Treat said. “Then Ksenja got her fourth foul and the tide turned from there and they broke away from us.”

Fredere, who broke the all-time state record for points (36), field-goals taken, free-throws made, and free-throws attempted, the previous evening, was held to nine points.

“She went to the line several times and if we could have kept her in the game we might have stayed closer,” Treat said. “We only played her for 15 minutes and against a good team you can’t lose her. I think last night’s win had an effect on all of our starters since we had to dig so deep to pull that win out and didn’t have our usual spark.”

Winfrey added six points and Jackie Treat finished with four points.

“I think Bickleton will be a better matchup for us if we play our game,” Dennis Treat said. “They have a good post player but I think they are a little bit more like we are. We’re going to roll up our sleeves and see if we can get to the last day.”

The post player coach Dennis Treat spoke of was Bickleton junior Katelynn Clinton who broke the 1B state record for points in a game — 35 in their opening win against Lummi — before Fredere bettered it only hours later.