Late run lifts Lassies into district title game
Friday, February 15, 2008 6:02 AM PST
By Ben Zimmerman
bzimmerman@tdn.com
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E-mail this articleVANCOUVER - They're baa-aack.
But before the Kelso Lassies reached the destination they covet, they let their season teeter on the edge of a cliff - where an upstart Union team gave them a mighty shove.
Sophomore Carly Perkins scored the last 10 points in a fourth quarter for the ages, and Kelso earned the right to defend its district championship by beating the Titans 66-58 in the elimination semifinals of the Southwest Washington 3A District girls basketball playoffs.
The Lassies (16-5 ) trailed for the last 2:47 of the first half, the entire third quarter and by eight with 5:23 left in the game before roaring past Union (10-12) to the finish line.
"Scary? Was it ever scary," said Lassies forward Sadie Salte, one of two seniors on the team. "Scariest thing of my life. I was definitely impressed that (Union) was up for that long by that much."
But Salte was even more impressed with Perkins, who played closer to a game-winning run sparked by Salte, sophomore point guard Caitlynn Jackson and junior wing Danielle Birch.
"I am so excited for Carly," Salte said. "She's been in a little hermit shell lately, but I'm glad she came out. I don't think she'll go back in, either."
Perkins bee-lined from the locker room to the parking lot following the game and was not available for comment, but her on-court performance said more than enough. After foul trouble forced Kelso coach Lacey DeWeert to keep Perkins on the bench for all but four minutes in the first half, the 6-foot-1 assassin slowly and decisively took over the final quarter.
She will lead the Lassies into tonight's title game at 6 p.m. against Fort Vancouver at Hudson's Bay High School. Fort beat Kelso last Friday for the Greater St. Helens 3A League crown.
On Thursday, Perkins scored the first two Lassie baskets of the fourth on putbacks, and after Jackson tallied on a drive, she blocked a shot and started the Kelso fast break, which Salte finished with a slashing layin. Then Perkins swatted a 3-point attempt by would-be Lassie-slayer Megan Dire and hit two free throws, cutting the Union lead to four points with 3:32 to go.
Birch buried a 3-pointer to make it 57-56, Titans, and after Union made a free throw, Perkins put Kelso on her shoulders and carried it into the title game.
She scored inside to tie it 58-58, then curled around a pick, took a crisp pass from Jackson and made a baby hook while being fouled.
After back-to-back stops by the Lassies, Perkins went to the free-throw line twice in bonus situations, making all four free throws.
And after Jill Karnofski, the other Kelso senior, blocked another 3-point attempt, Perkins powered in a putback with two seconds left for the exclamation point - on her night, and a thrilling glimpse at what the Lassies can do at their poised, potent best.
"I could tell by our adrenaline that we would come through at the end," said Jackson, who matched Perkins for a team high with 18 points. "I was nervous, but there was hope."
Union is a first-year high school with no seniors and a beautiful future, which was on display through a variety of spectacular individual performances. Foremost was the shooting exhibition put on by Dire, a junior who made all five of her 3-pointers in the first half and finished the game with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Sophomore Janae Davis gave the Lassies fits with her fierce post play, notching 15 points, and freshman Kat Vela - all 5-feet-3 of her - scored all nine of her points in the second half.
"Union has improved a lot," DeWeert said. "They are what we were a year ago. And Dire, oh my gosh."
"There's not a lot you can do with a hot hand," Salte added. "She came out to play basketball tonight and had the game of her life."
After the teams battled to a 15-15 tie after one quarter, Union rode Davis and Dire to an eight-point halftime lead. Dire alone had 10 points over the final 2:47 of the quarter.
Union's lead surged to 41-30 at the 4:50 mark of the third on Dire's sixth and final 3-pointer.
Jackson helped keep Kelso in striking distance with a pair of free throws and two 3-pointers as the period screamed to a close.
Then it was Perkins time.
"She had an awesome game," Jackson said. "She won it for us."
Perkins grabbed all eight of her rebounds in the second half and blocked three shots. Salte had 13 points and four rebounds.
Lassies 66, Titans 58
UNION (58) -
Brittany Blumenthal 0, Bre Sorenson 2, Janae Davis 15, Megan Dire 28, Kat Vela 9, Ogata 4
KELSO (66) -
Caitlynn Jackson 18, Danielle Birch 8, Jill Karnofski 5, Carly Perkins 18, Sadie Salte 13, Jessica Warthen 2, Madeline Zbaeren 2, Mackenzie Southard 0, Cassy Teig 0
Union 15 19 15 9-58
Kelso 15 13 15 23-66
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