Seattle Times photo by Ellen M. Banner

I will be out at Bellevue College this evening to watch the KingCo 3A boys and girls title games.

Boys: Bellevue (18-4) vs. No. 6 Lake Washington (17-4)

Girls: Bellevue (12-9) vs. Liberty (16-6)

Former Mercer Island boys basketball coach Ed Pepple has been named the boys basketball 2012 Morgan Wootten Award for Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball recipient.

Here is the press release:

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the winners of the 2012 Morgan Wootten Award for Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball.

This prestigious award is named after Morgan Wootten, who is one of two high school coaches enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The annual award is presented to one boy's basketball coach and one girl's basketball coach.

The 2012 winner of the Morgan Wootten Award for boy's basketball is Ed Pepple from Mercer Island High School (Mercer Island, WA). Pepple is the longest-tenured basketball coach in the state of Washington. He has coached at Mercer Island since 1968 and immediately impacted the program.

Pepple has led his teams to 21 KingCo championships, four state championships, and was runner-up four times. He has the most wins of any active head coach (902-305), and has appeared in 26 state championships. Pepple has been named Washington State Coach of the Year seven times and named Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 1997.

Interlake girls soccer standout Isabel Farrell has been named the Gatorade Washington Player of the Year.

Here is the press release:

CHICAGO (February 9, 2012) -- In its 27th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Isabel Farrell of Interlake High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade Washington Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Farrell is the first Gatorade Washington Girls Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Interlake High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Farrell as Washington's best high school girls soccer player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in May, Farrell joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook HS, Mich.), Heather O'Reilly (2001-02, East Brunswick HS, N.J.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

Katie Collier's story took another turn toward the improbable Thursday.

The Seattle Christian standout, who is averaging almost 15 points a game while fighting through acute promyelocytic leukemia, has been named to the 2012 McDonald's All-American Game roster.

"I just feel so honored," Collier said. "I think it's unbelievable that I'm getting this opportunity. I really don't feel like I'm that good of a player to be playing with all these amazing girls. I'm glad somebody thinks so."

The 6-foot-3 post player was one of 24 senior girls basketball players picked to play in the game. The University of Washington-bound senior was the state's only player, boys or girls, selected and becomes the first McDonald's All-American headed to the Husky women's program.

The game will be played March 28 at the United Center in Chicago.

I'm hoping to hear back from Collier later today. I talked to her yesterday, and that update is posted below on the blog.

Seattle Times photo by Mark Harrison

After finishing basketball practice Wednesday, Katie Collier decided to head to L.A. Fitness.

The University of Washington-bound Seattle Christian senior wanted to get in a second workout, make sure she was ready for the Warriors upcoming game against Cascade Christian.

This isn't out of ordinary for elite athletes, but Collier continues to battle acute promyelocytic leukemia.

"I've really been pushing myself to get better and get back up to what I'm usually doing," Collier said. "That's important to me."

Collier, who starts her final round of chemotherapy Monday, has been feeling better lately. She manages waves of nausea, but has been able to practice and play with her teammates.

"You've got to do what has to get done," Collier said. "It feels great, even the fact I can go to practice and then go work out. It's a great feeling."

She is confident that once she finishes her treatment she will be given a clean bill of health.

"I should be all cured," Collier said.

One upset stood out when I checked the the high-school girls basketball games played Wednesday night.

Eastlake knocked off No. 10 Inglemoor to advance to the semifinals of the KingCo 4A tournament. The Wolves now play Skyline Saturday with a trip to regionals on the line. Inglemoor, which took No. 6 Woodinville to overtime before losing last Saturday, must now win three straight to qualify for regionals.

Woodinville and Issaquah play in the other semifinal Saturday. Woodinville took a step closer to regionals by beating Newport, avenging its only in-state loss. Issaquah downed Roosevelt.

Here are highlights from those games, as well as the others reported to The Times Wednesday:

KingCo 4A Tournament

Eastlake 60, Inglemoor 57

A 14-9 third quarter made the difference for the Wolves, who got 16 points from Kendra Morrison and 10 from Caleigh McCabe. Taylor Peacocke paced the Vikings with 20 points and Kelly Conroy added 12. Inglemoor had won 12 in a row before the back-to-back losses.

Woodinville 59, Newport 38

Ali Forde led a trio of Woodinville players in double figures with 17. She was followed by Mackenzie Campbell (12) and Kim Frost (10).

Skyline 55, Garfield 47

Megan Wiedeman was huge for the Spartans with 19 points, 28 rebounds and 6 blocks. Scoring from Morgan Farrar (15) and Allie Wyszynski (13) was also key. Garfield got 16 apiece from Cierra Levias and Shaunice Robinson, but Nyasha Sarju was held to a season-low 8, more than 10 below her average.

Issaquah 76, Roosevelt 40

Mackenzie Wieburg poured in 22 points and Mandie Hill chipped in 12 for the Eagles. Roosevelt was led by Izzy Mason with 11.

The SPSL 4A boys and girls basketball championship games will be played Friday at ShoWare Center.

Here is the schedule:

Girls

Kentwood vs. Emerald Ridge (3rd place), 3:30 p.m.

Mount Rainier vs. Federal Way (Championship), 8 p.m.

Boys

Kent-Meridian vs. Federal Way (3rd place), 5 p.m.

Kentwood vs. Curtis (Championship), 6:30 p.m.

The Washington Wrestling Report has updated its high-school rankings, for teams and individuals. You can find them here.

Tahoma remains No. 1 in Class 4A, followed by Mead, Graham-Kapowsin, Union, Lake Stevens and Snohomish.

In 3A, Yelm holds down the top spot with Enumclaw second, Sunnyside third and Bonney Lake fourth.

The regional tournaments are this Saturday, followed by Mat Classic XXIV at the Tacoma Dome Feb. 17-18.