Warden girls take second district win
Warden High School senior Jaryn Madsen (5) attempts a basket while Tri-Cities Prep senior Janey Pedersen (15) and senior Claire Potter (11) attempt to block the shot on Feb. 12.
Rebecca Pettingill/Columbia Basin Herald
Warden High School senior Kiana Rios (32) faces Tri-Cities Prep senior Hannah Chang (3) during the district matchup on Feb. 12 at Warden High School.
Warden High School junior Quinn Erdmann (3) drives past a Tri-Cities Prep opponent during the district matchup on Feb. 12 at Warden High School.
From left to right, coach Josh Madsen, with seniors Kaya Enriquez, Jaryn Madsen, Kiana Rios, Rylee McKay and Arely Rangel.
WARDEN — The Warden High School girls basketball team took its second district victory with a 66-26 win over Tri-Cities Prep High School.
The Warden Cougars took a 25-3 lead in the first quarter and kept their opponents to under 10 points each quarter.
The team is undefeated this year and is currently ranked No. 3 in the 2B category by Rating Percentage Index (RPI) on the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) website.
Senior Kiana Rios led Warden, and the game, with 26 points.
Rios also broke the school record for most career points during the game. Madsen said the previous record was 1,482 by Heather Ortiz about 25 years ago. Madsen said it was really special for Rios to surpass that record at their last game on their home court. Warden Head Coach Josh Madsen said that it took his team a little while to get going but once they do, there is very little coaching he needs to do. He lets them play their game.
He also noted that they don't want to be complacent but to continue to improve and get better each game.
After the game, the announcer asked that the Warden spectators remain for a short program. Warden school board member Kasandra Campos read a three-page speech about how much the town of Warden appreciates not only what the girls team has done for the town but specifically the five seniors. It also included a standing ovation for them.
“I want to thank you each for the hope and excitement you all brought to our town. You all made noise, lots of noise, across the state. You each represented our hometown and this school with integrity, loyalty, passion, grit and fight,” Campos said.
She noted that not only did they bring hope and excitement, but they brought it during a global pandemic.
The Cougars will take on Mabton High School on Feb. 19 for the district title at River View High School at 5 p.m. Both the winner and the loser of the district match are guaranteed to advance to regionals.
Box score:
Warden - 25 18 15 8 - 66
Tri-Cities Prep - 3 7 9 7- 26
