Fast start propels Sealth to first title

TACOMA — The explosion came early, emphatically.

Six points in 18 seconds.

The Chief Sealth Seahawks were in such a hurry to stake their claim to the Class 3A state girls basketball championship, they raced to a 16-2 lead over top-ranked River Ridge and rolled to a 71-54 victory to capture the first title in school history.

"My girls came out and played their game tonight," coach Ray Willis said. "They brought it in the first half. We knew they were ready to play. ... They had that look in their eyes."

It was the first loss of the season for River Ridge of Lacey, which came into the game 26-0 and was attempting to become the first unbeaten 3A champion since Lakeside went 29-0 in 1994.

But the No. 2 Seahawks (27-2) would have none of that. They set their sights on this trophy a year ago after losing in the semifinals to eventual-champion Meadowdale.

"We learned from last year and we grew," said junior Valerie Cook, who had her best game of the tournament with 12 points and five rebounds.

All five starters had impressive numbers as Sealth scored the second-most points in a 3A girls championship game (Lakeside scored 75 in 1994). Nia Jackson had 23 points, five steals and three assists, and Regina Rogers chipped in 15 points, six rebounds and six blocks. Christina Nzekwe had eight points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists. All three are sophomores.

Ophelia Whitfield, the lone senior starter who transferred from Cleveland, had eight points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

"Two different schools, one state title, senior year — it feels good," Whitfield said. "This is all I've been waiting for."

The Seahawks didn't wait long to get started. They led 4-2 when the first flurry came. Whitfield made a driving basket, then the lightning-quick Jackson came up with a quick steal and layin. Nzekwe followed with another steal and fed Jackson for two more points — a six-point outburst in 18 seconds that put Sealth up 10-2 less than two minutes into the game.

"We knew we had to come out strong if we wanted to win the championship," Jackson said.

That was just the beginning.

In all, the Seahawks ticked off 12 unanswered points to go in front 16-2, holding the normally high-octane Hawks scoreless for two minutes. It was 22-8 at the end of the first quarter.

"They were pretty much everywhere," River Ridge freshman Sophie Russell said. "We tried to take it to them, but we couldn't."

Gabby Wade, who averaged 13 points in River Ridge's first three games of the tournament, struggled against the bigger Seahawks and scored six points, making 1 of 10 shots from the field. Still, she and Russell were voted to the all-tournament first team along with Nzekwe and Rainier Beach senior Jacqua Williams. Cassidy Murillo from West Valley of Yakima was named the tournament's most valuable player.

Rogers and Jackson landed on the all-tournament second team along with Carly Koebel of Kennedy, Tiffany Jones of Clover Park and Sara Bergner of Bellingham.

Chelsey White led River Ridge last night with 25 points, sinking five of six three-pointers. But it wasn't enough. She scored her team's first 10 points of the second half as the Hawks cut Sealth's lead to 40-30, but that's as close as they got.

River Ridge coach Bill Wirtzberger said nerves were a problem early for his team, which also starts just one senior, but admitted Chief Sealth had too much talent.

"They're a great team," he said. "They're the real deal. ... This doesn't diminish the year we had."

Russell, who had 12 points, couldn't fault her team's effort.

"We went out there and played our hardest," she said. "We couldn't ask for much more. We said if we lose it would be to the best team in the state. I guess that's what we did today."

It was the first appearance in the championship game for either school. River Ridge, which opened in 1993, made its first trip to state last year, winning one out of three games. Playing for a state championship seemed highly improbable back in 2002, when the Hawks went 0-20. Wirtzberger stepped in as head coach the following season and began the turnaround.

Willis had coached in this game before, though, guiding Eastside Catholic to the title tilt in 2002. The Crusaders lost 50-40 to Seattle Prep.