Six basketball programs represented the Northwest Conference in 1A and 2A boys and girls state tournaments in the Yakima County SunDome last week. Two won state championships and brought home the big Gold Ball. One of them has had it in their possession for quite a while. In fact, longer than any other team has ever had it. The other reclaimed the Gold Ball after a two-year absence. The Lynden Lion girls will have the Gold Ball in their possession for the third straight

3rd Place for the Seahawks in 2026 What they couldn’t do yesterday, they did today. The Anacortes Seahawks overcame a 15-point first half deficit, and edged the Columbia River Rapids, 67-63, to capture third place in the 2026 2A State Basketball Tournament, Saturday, at the Yakima Valley SunDome. The Seahawks never had the lead until senior guard Gunner Willoughby hit a 3-point shot from the right wing with 3:45 to play in the game. A few seconds later, senior guard Luc

The Anacortes Seahawks are headed for the 2A boys state semifinals, after a 71-61 win over the Tumwater Thunderbirds. It will be the Seahawks first semifinal appearance since their second-place finish in 2015. They are also assured of their first state tournament hardware since 2017. The Thunderbirds scored six quick points on two 3-point shots which prompted a Seahawks timeout just 90 seconds into the game. That would be all the scoring Tumwater could accomplish in the

Lion senior Rian Stephan The Lynden Lions cleared their first hurdle in the race for a third straight 2A Girls state championship by dismantling the Deer Park Stags, 58-33, Thursday, in a state quarterfinal game in the Yakima Valley SunDome. It was pitted as the “early state championship” as it was the #2 seeded Stags against the #1 seeded Lions, but the Lions ended the suspense with a 20-3 run in the third quarter. Before that, it was a defensive chess match at the star

We are just one day away from the start of regional play in the 2026 state basketball tournaments. Here is look at what to expect on the boys floor through next week. 1A Boys State Tournament Preview #16 Nooksack Valley Pioneers (10-14) vs #9 Fort Vancouver Trappers (20-3) Camas High School, Vancouver, Friday, February 27, 600pm The Trappers broke through last year, appearing in their first state basketball tournament since the 1990 4A state tournament. Their stay as t

I didn't see many girls games, but I can give you some matchup perspectives, and a little history along the way. Please read on for information on the 1A and 2A Girls State Basketball Tournaments. 1A Girls State Tournament Preview #16 King’s Way Christian Knights (16-6) vs #9 Nooksack Valley Pioneers (14-10) Lynden High School, Saturday, February 28, 200pm The Knights are making just their third state tournament appearance, and second consecutive. They lost in the regiona

Coaches Kesti and Swanson The Sedro-Woolley Cubs are one win away from a state tournament berth, after their 63-45 win over Mount Vernon, in the consolation round of the 3A Boys District 1 Tournament. This was a rivalry game in a post-season elimination situation, so the Sedro-Woolley gym was packed with a standing room only crowd, with student sections filling the end zone bleachers. The Bulldogs zone defense was geared to slow down the league’s top scorer, and in my op