Viking girls fall just short of trophy in state tournament

PALOUSE - As the 12th overall seed in the 1B WIAA girls basketball tournament, the Garfield-Palouse Vikings girls basketball team played three games in three days, falling one game short of earning a trophy, however, the team exceeded expectations.

The first game for the Vikings in the Spokane Arena was played on Wednesday, Feb. 28, against the number five overall seeded Almira-Coulee/Hartline Warriors.

The Vikings won the first and fourth quarters, and lost the second and third quarters. The Vikings were able to use a 10-2 advantage in the fourth quarter to earn the 41-32 victory.

Garfield-Palouse jumped on the Warriors early, leading 13-5 at the end of the first quarter.

The Warriors took an 11-10 advantage in the second quarter, however, they still trailed 23-16 at half.

The Vikings allowed the Warriors to come back in the third quarter, they were out-scored 14-8 in the third, now leading by one with a quarter left.

In the fourth the Vikings used stellar defense to hold the Warriors to just two points, earning the nine-point victory.

Morgan Lentz led the way with 20 points on 6/8 shooting from three in the game. Lentz was the bright spot the Vikings needed all tournament long, making multiple threes in each state game.

Kyra Brantner had 10 points and four rebounds in the game.

The next game for the Vikings was played on Thursday, Feb. 29, against the number three seeded Waterville-Mansfield Shockers.

The Vikings were out-scored 23-12 in the first quarter, and scored four points in both the second and third quarters, falling 57-33 to the Shockers.

After trailing 16-31 at halftime, the Vikings were out-scored 26-17 in the second half.

Garfield-Palouse shot 20% from both two and three-point shots in the first half, and 46% from two in the second.

Brantner finished with 14 points and eight rebounds in the game for the Vikings.

Lentz had 10 points on two made three-point attempts.

The last game for the Vikings in the state tournament was a loser-out match against the number nine seeded Sunnyside Christian Knights. The game was played on Friday, Mar. 1.

After both teams failed to score more than 10 points each of the first two quarters, their offense came alive in the second half.

The Vikings scored 13 in the third quarter, but allowed 13 from the Knights in the fourth, who closed the game out, and won 37-32, ending the Vikings season.

Garfield-Palouse made just one two-point shot in the first half, but made two three-point shots.

The second half saw the Vikings make seven two point shots, but made zero three-point shots, leading to the seven point loss.

Lentz finished with six points on two threes. Brantner led the way with nine points and six rebounds.

Elena Flansburg had eight points and six rebounds in the game as well.

The Vikings say goodbye to senior Zoe Laughary.