Late Surge Carries King's Past Onalaska

For the second day in a row, the King's girls basketball team staved off elimination at Glacier Peak High School to remain alive in the WIAA/Dairy Farmer's of Washington/Les Schwab 1A basketball tournament.

The Knights, who beat Ilawaco Friday evening to earn their place in Saturday's winner-to-state game, ran away from Onalaska in the fourth quarter to advance to the Yakima Sun Dome for the quarterfinal round of the 1A tournament with a 44-36 victory.

With the Knights trailing by two points and just over five minutes remaining on the clock, King's junior Joclyn Kirton knocked down two free throws to tie the game and thirty seconds later, Karly Hibbard found her way inside for a layup to give her team a lead they would never surrender.

The situation had become precarious for coach Dan Taylor's team during the third quarter after they allowed Onalaska to begin the second half on a 6-2 run and fell behind by six, their largest deficit of the game.

But Kirton was relentless on both ends of the floor, coming up with three steals to go along with her 19 points and 18 rebounds, both game-highs.

With 3:23 left in the third, the 5-11 center maneuvered into the paint for a quick two that cut the Loggers' lead to four. On the next possession, Kirton again worked herself into the paint, drawing a foul. After she put in both free throws, the Knights again took possession and found Kirton under the basket.

This time, it was the best of both worlds as Kirton's seeing-eye shot attempt found it's way into the hoop as she drew the foul on Durand. Kirton converted the free throw to give King's a 30-29 lead they would take into the final quarter.

The foul was Durand's fourth and sent her to the bench for a six-plus minute stretch. Without their catalyst, the Loggers would manage only three points during that time.

"She had a good defensive presence and she limited in us in our touches when she was in there," said Taylor of Durand.

Yet the outcome still very much in doubt as Durand returned with 3:52 left and her team trailing by only two points at 34-32.

But even with the return of their leading scorer (11.8 ppg), Onalaska was unable to find any offensive continuity against an active King's defense.

"Defense is our strong point," said Taylor after the game.

"I feel like we didn't let them get into their scoring spots as much in the second half."

King's finished the game on a 10-4 run and Karlie Storkson put any doubt to rest when she streaked down the floor and converted a layup that gave her team a seven point lead with only 1:57 left in the game.

The win sends the Knights back to Yakima for the final three rounds of the 1A tournament.

Both Taylor and Kirton talked after the game about the feeling of making it back to the Sun Dome.

"It feels great, our girls have worked too darn hard and they deserve it," said Taylor.

"It feels so good," said Kirton, who added "I want to go back so bad."

King's will face Freeman High School in the quarterfinal round on Thursday, March 3 with a scheduled tip time of 2pm.

Durand ended as the Loggers' leading scorer with 12 points on six of nine shooting and Bailee Nelson added eight more.

Karly Hibbard finished with eight points for King's on four of four shooting.