Statement win: Knights earn victory in first round of district tourney

ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (19-3) defeated the Omak Pioneers 74-30 on Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the 1A District 5 tournament. Head coach Farrah Wardenaar was thrilled to see her players dominate the hardwood.  

“They had a blast,” she said. “They're a great team, (they had) good Energy, and they all get along, and that's a big part of it this season.”  

The Knights were aggressive from the start, jumping out to a 19-9 lead heading into the second quarter. From there, they dug their heels in as they outscored Omak 26-3 to take a commanding 45-12 lead at halftime. In the second half, Royal kept a steady rhythm on offense as they built their lead to a 44-point win at home. Graycie Kast led the team with 39 points, which tied the school record for a single game.  

“(We) knew that was the school record, and so when she got to 36 (points) we were like, ‘OK, let's make this happen, let's go for it,’” Wardenaar said.  

The Knights were running a trap defense in transition to start the game. As Omak inbounded the ball, they were immediately swarmed by two or three Royal defenders. This strategy was effective, as it led to several turnovers and easy points in the paint.  

As the Knights took advantage of the Pioneers' mistakes, they swiftly built their lead. After a half-court pass from Briana Cedillo to Maggie Frank for a layup, the Knights led 19-9.  

In the second quarter, the Knights continued to overwhelm Omak defensively. Frank forced another turnover and took it down the court for a layup to make it 25-9. The Knights remained physical on offense and defense, something Wardenaar said they had been working on.  

“They were locked in; they just got after it in round one. You never know what to expect, but you start a game like that, you know it's going to be good,” she said.  

Frank continued to take advantage of Omak in transition, being found wide open on several occasions for easy buckets, while Kast also knocked down shots from midrange and from the perimeter. By halftime, they led 45-12.  

“(Frank) was great tonight,” Wardenaar said. “We practiced that fast break drill, so they were looking for it. And she just made up her mind, she's like, ‘I'm going to make all my layups tonight, and I'm doing it.’” 

Royal was in rhythm with their transition offense in the second half. Kast found Lauren Wardenaar for an easy layup right before Cedillo and Frank partnered up once again. The pace remained fast as Kast excelled in catching and shooting the ball. They outscored Omak 29-18 to seal the win and advance further into the district tournament.  

Leading up to the game, the Knights prepared to overwhelm Omak with their trap defense, according to the coach. 

“The big thing for us is staying out of foul trouble, and we did that.” she said. “I told them in the locker room, they dominated from the very beginning, and they just never looked back. Omak is a good team, we scouted (them), we did a lot of stuff. We knew they were going to come ready to play.” 

If the Knights can win the district tournament, it will be the first time they made a state tournament appearance since 2001, according to Wardenaar. As the postseason unfolds, she said it’s important they maintain their routine and keep it business as usual to avoid being overwhelmed by the pressure.  

“We just try to follow the same routine every day. We didn't make it. It's just another game. One more step towards our goals,” she said.  

The Knights host the Wapato Wolves on Saturday at 4 p.m.

BOX SCORE: 

OMAK: 9-3-6-12: 30
ROYL: 19-26-16-13: 74 

    The Knights’ Lauren Wardenaar (14) shoots a free throw against Omak Thursday.
  

    The Knights’ Graycie Kast (22) drives into the paint on a fastbreak for a layup attempt against Omak Thursday. Her 39 points tied the school record for most in a single game.
  

    Maggie Frank (5) shoots a layup after Briana Cedillo, not pictured, passed the ball to her from half court.