glenn
03-06-2009, 09:51 AM
Preamble: As many of you know, we've covered the state tournament like a glove for years and even have won awards for that coverage. As our mission has turned national, we've had to balance what would be in the national interest. Then Mindi started posting "coverage" on this message board, and Chris and I followed suit yesterday. I like the format. We're giving you a lot, and on a "live" basis. I hope you will tell your friends, because we're putting a lot of effort and resources into this.
I've not covered the state as thoroughly as in recent years, though I know a lot of the kids from previous years, club play and many of them having played in my old tournaments with the Seattle Storm. As such, I didn't know what to expect when I got to the Taco Dome on Thursday.
I'd read here and in the newspapers that the field was "wide open" or "deep," and now realize those were euphemisms for a down field. This state's run of McDonald's level stars and super teams is in hiatus. For a few years we had the great cast of three-peating Lewis and Clark, the great Garfield and Meadowdale teams, Angie Bjorklund, Courtney Vandersloot, Ashley Corral and a bunch of teams, including Auburn Riverside at first in the 4A, that were dog-fighting to break into that level.
This year the field is very young and therefore inconsistent, but, on the positive side, it should mean another run of good teams starting next year. Two of those teams, for sure, will be Federal Way and Garfield. And Federal Way already is in the semis this year, so hey.
To be honest, Chris Hansen and I could have picked the Moses Lake-Snohomish / Kentwood-Federal Way Final Four by watching the first quarter of each game yesterday. It was pretty obvious. Of course, in girl's basketball, anything can happen, but it's also pretty obvious that Kentwood and Snohomish are the class of this tournament.
We know a lot about the Kentwood team and all the positives said and written about Lindsey Moore are true. Also, Keith Hennig is a terrific coach. But I wonder how the Conks will deal with Katie Benson, who right now is neck and neck with Moore as most outstanding player of the tournament. The Panthers also have a long, athletic defender in Karley Lampman to make things difficult for more, and junior Ally Schmitt is a dime-throwing point guard if I've ever seen one.
Ken Roberts also is one of the state's outstanding coaches, so it'll be interesting to see him and Hennig go head to head. Snohomish opened the second half against Garfield with a neatly disguised trapping zone that froze the Bulldogs for a couple possessions.
If I'm dead wrong, you can heckle me all you want. Just help us get some eyes on what we're doing, and we'll keep doing it -- next week, next year, etc.
I've not covered the state as thoroughly as in recent years, though I know a lot of the kids from previous years, club play and many of them having played in my old tournaments with the Seattle Storm. As such, I didn't know what to expect when I got to the Taco Dome on Thursday.
I'd read here and in the newspapers that the field was "wide open" or "deep," and now realize those were euphemisms for a down field. This state's run of McDonald's level stars and super teams is in hiatus. For a few years we had the great cast of three-peating Lewis and Clark, the great Garfield and Meadowdale teams, Angie Bjorklund, Courtney Vandersloot, Ashley Corral and a bunch of teams, including Auburn Riverside at first in the 4A, that were dog-fighting to break into that level.
This year the field is very young and therefore inconsistent, but, on the positive side, it should mean another run of good teams starting next year. Two of those teams, for sure, will be Federal Way and Garfield. And Federal Way already is in the semis this year, so hey.
To be honest, Chris Hansen and I could have picked the Moses Lake-Snohomish / Kentwood-Federal Way Final Four by watching the first quarter of each game yesterday. It was pretty obvious. Of course, in girl's basketball, anything can happen, but it's also pretty obvious that Kentwood and Snohomish are the class of this tournament.
We know a lot about the Kentwood team and all the positives said and written about Lindsey Moore are true. Also, Keith Hennig is a terrific coach. But I wonder how the Conks will deal with Katie Benson, who right now is neck and neck with Moore as most outstanding player of the tournament. The Panthers also have a long, athletic defender in Karley Lampman to make things difficult for more, and junior Ally Schmitt is a dime-throwing point guard if I've ever seen one.
Ken Roberts also is one of the state's outstanding coaches, so it'll be interesting to see him and Hennig go head to head. Snohomish opened the second half against Garfield with a neatly disguised trapping zone that froze the Bulldogs for a couple possessions.
If I'm dead wrong, you can heckle me all you want. Just help us get some eyes on what we're doing, and we'll keep doing it -- next week, next year, etc.