Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Todd Dickerson, father of freshman St. John-Endicott girls’ basketball player Gracie, checked out the school video camera and drove west.
He went as far as Mt. Vernon to record the game between Shoreline Christian and Tulalip Heritage.
He drove the tape back and the team was set to watch it and eat pizza Tuesday night in preparation for the 2013 District 1B Regionals.
“That’s small-town Whitman County basketball,” said coach Marv Schmick. “We do what we can do.”
St. John-Endicott, the District 9 No. 3 seed, will play Tulalip Heritage on Friday evening.
It will be another drive, this time for the team and coaches on the bus, across the Cascades and farther northwest, passing through Bellevue and up to Lynnwood.
The Eagles (18-6) will be led by seniors Gretchen Van Lith and Devan Bafus.
Schmick said that at the post-practice film and pizza session Tuesday, his team would use notebooks to chart the game they were watching.
Charting means that each player tracks their future opponents’ same position, noting the opposing player’s scoring, rebounds and assists.
“To get them familiar with the faces they’re going to play,” said Schmick.
There are now 16 1B girls teams remaining in the state. For the losers during this weekend’s regional games, their season is over.
The winners will advance to the 8-team state tournament in Spokane.
Schmick is an Endicott High School graduate, a farmer and longtime coach for the Eagles in various positions.
“I always looked at state as the brass ring,” Schmick said.
They are just one victory away, at the end of a long road.
“The team that travels well is the one that stays consistent,” said Schmick.
District 9 1B girls
third place game:
St. John/Endicott 48: Garfield/Palouse 35: 17/2 8/7 12/10 11/16: Sami Bailey 0 1-2 1, Rachel Gfeller 2 2-4 6, Graciue Dickinson 1 2-2 4, Gretchen Van Lith 5 7-10 17, Devan Bafus 4 -(2-3pt) 1-2 11, Emily Jones 3 2-2 6. Totsl 15 16-24 f-17 48. Garfield/Palouse: Alexis Rodriguez 3 (3pt) 10-12 17, Kenzie McClanahan 1 0-0 2, Teylor Redman 3 0-0 6, Sammi Johnson 0 3-4 3, Chanmdler Pfaff 2 3-10 7. Total: 9 16-25 f-15 35.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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