MLCA boys drop game to Soap Lake

EPHRATA - Quade Godfrey scored 21 points and Lowell Kirkwood and Kenton Cleveringa added 11 points each, but their efforts weren't enough to propel the Lions to victory in the district championship game against the Eagles Saturday.

"We lost, but we are still moving on to the regional tournament," coach Duke Wood said. "Quade had a huge game for us ... his best of the year and I'm hoping he can bring that again Saturday. And Kenton really stepped up big as we were missing out starting point guard Austin Ray who was academically ineligible for this game."

The game was a back and forth scrum that saw the led change hands several times. The Lions doubled Soap Lake 12-6 at the end of the first quarter, but fell behind 24-22 at intermission. The Eagles pushed the score to 42-36 at the end of the third quarter of play, then held on to win 52-47.

"The kids knew we were moving on win or lose, so I told them to just go out and play and have fun," Wood said. "But at times I think we got a little too lax. We were out-rebounded 30-24 and gave up 20 points. But defensively we held them to 19 of 58 shots from the floor and forced them into some tough shots."

The regional tournament gets underway Feb. 23. The time and Lions opponent have yet to be determined, as MLCA will play the loser of the Sunnyside Christian-Columbia Adventist game being played tonight in Goldendale.