The Prep Blog
The preps blog is designed to fill in the gaps of our high school sports coverage, providing insight into some of the stories and projects we are pursuing, and to serve as a forum to talk about some of the significant high school sports stories happening in our community.

Doug Pacey joined The News Tribune in 2007 after covering prep sports at The Bellingham Herald for five years. He graduated from Issaquah High School in 1998 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Kansas in 2002. E-mail Doug.


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Covering high school sports in Tacoma, Pierce County and the South Sound.
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
Posted by Doug Pacey @ 04:00:55 pm

Here are this week's prep rankings. These will be the final 4A and 1A rankings of the season. We'll have a final batch of 3A and 2A rankings next Monday.

Class 4A
Boys

1. Federal Way
2. Eisenhower
3. Garfield
4. Decatur
5. Foss
6. Gonzaga Prep
7. Kentridge
8. Curtis
9. Walla Walla
10. Inglemoor

Girls
1. Pasco
2. Kentwood
3. Lewis and Clark
4. Snohomish
5. Auburn Riverside
6. Moses Lake
7. Federal Way
8. Bellarmine Prep
9. Issaquah
10. Eastlake

CLASS 3A
Boys

1. Franklin
2. Bellevue
3. Enumclaw
4. Shadle Park
5. Rainier Beach
6. Lakes
7. Seattle Prep
8. Columbia River
9. Foster
10. Union

Girls
1. Kennedy
2. Prairie
3. Franklin
4. White River
5. Shadle Park
6. Holy Names
7. Yakima West Valley
8. Hanford
9. Meadowdale
10. Yelm

CLASS 2A
Boys

1. Squalicum
2. Mark Morris
3. River Ridge
4. North Mason
5. Wapato
6. Spokane West Valley
7. Burlington-Edison
8. Archbishop Murphy
9. Pullman
10. Quincy

Girls
1. Prosser
2. Archbishop Murphy
3. Black Hills
4. Pullman
5. Lynden
6. Hockinson
7. Kingston
8. Clarkston
9. Othello
10. Yakima East Valley

CLASS 1A
Boys

1. Vashon
2. Port Townsend
3. Winlock
4. Chelan
5. King’s
6. Granger
7. Brewster
8. Lake Roosevelt
9. Bellevue Christian
10. Castle Rock

Girls
1. Lynden Christian
2. Seattle Christian
3. Freeman
4. Zillah
5. Connell
6. Onalaska
7. Chelan
8. Vashon
9. Bellevue Christian
10. Toledo

Categories: Basketball
Posted by Doug Pacey @ 01:41:16 pm

I've gone through the boys and girls state tournament brackets and made my picks. Feel free to make yours.

4A Boys state tournament

First Round
Inglemoore over Roosevelt
Kentridge over Mariner
Federal Way over Redmond
Walla Walla over Beamer
Eisenhower over Curtis
Foss over Mountlake Terrace
Decatur over Gonzaga Prep
Garfield over Lake Stevens

Not a lot of surprises there. I did consider picking Beamer to topple Walla Walla. And if Curtis is hitting its 3-pointers they've definitely got a defense the give any team fits. I wouldn't be surprised to see Gonzaga Prep win this game. And that would really ruin my bracket.

Quarterfinals
Kentridge over Inglemoor
Federal Way over Walla Walla
Eisenhower over Foss
Decatur over Garfield

Picking Eisenhower over Foss was difficult, but I won't be surprised if the Falcons win. I could be absolutely wrong picking Decatur to beat Garfield, too. But I can only pick one team to win. Kentridge's guard tandem of Gary Bell and Shaquille McKissic is tremendous and coach Dave Jamison has taken teams deep into the state tournament before.

Semifinals
Federal Way over Kentridge
Decatur over Eisenhower

Any of these four teams -- and a few from the quarterfinals -- are capable of winning a state title. This is just a gut instinct.

Finals
Decatur over Federal Way

Yes, I've got Decatur beating Federal Way for the first time in three tries this season. When these teams played two weeks ago, it went to double-overtime! FW point guard Michael Hale III is as clutch as they come and the Eagles have a slew of talented guards and one of the best forwards in the tournament in Cole Dickerson. But I think Decatur guards Marcus Tibbs and Jerron Smith, plus forwards Cam Schilling and Jordan McCloud will be eager to prove they can beat their rivals.

Picking Decatur to win, let alone get to the title game, is a big risk. The Gators have the worst draw of any team. They could potentially face teams ranked six, three, two and one in this tournament.

4A Girls state tournament

First round
Auburn Riverside over Eastlake
Moses Lake over South Kitsap
Snohomish over Bellarmine Prep
Garfield over Newport
Pasco over Mount Tahoma
Kentwood over Kamiak
Issaquah over Jackson
Lewis & Clark over Federal Way

The Snohomish-Bellarmine Prep game was the hardest to pick. The Lions are finally fully healthy after battling injuries for much of the season. I won't be surprised if they find a way to beat Snohomish. Federal Way might be overcome by a more-experienced Tigers squad. But the Eagles are super-talented and young. They will be state title contenders next year.

Quarterfinals
Auburn Riverside over Moses Lake
Snohomish over Garfield
Pasco over Kentwood
Lewis & Clark over Issaquah

The key for Auburn Riverside is finding an answer to defend WSU-bound center Carly Noyes. Ravens forward Kat Cooper will likely have to play a big game. If Kentwood's Lindsey Moore is even at 90 percent, I'd pick the Conquerors to win this game. Kentwood is incredibly unselfish and plays with such a cohesiveness. But running up against undefeated and No. 1 Pasco, which presses on defense, might be too much.

Semifinals
Auburn Riverside over Snohomish
Pasco over Lewis & Clark

Auburn Riverside beat Snohomish earlier this season fairly handily. This Pasco pick over LC is pure speculation. I've read quite a bit about these teams and talked to coaches about them, but have not seen either play.

Finals
Pasco over Auburn Riverside

Pasco completes the undefeated season.

Categories: Basketball