Class 2A: Pullman hands top-ranked East Valley 2nd straight loss

YAKIMA — OK, maybe Eric Rasmussen is right. Maybe the 2006 King's girls basketball team isn't quite as powerful and doesn't have as many weapons as the 2005 version. Rasmussen coached both. He should know.

But this bunch made it look so easy.

With two-time tournament MVP Sara Mosiman scoring 17 points, the Knights from Shoreline completed a four-game romp through the Class 2A state tournament with a 49-27 rout of a solid Lynden Christian team Saturday night at the Yakima SunDome.

"[Rasmussen] was on me because last game I only shot six or eight shots," said Mosiman, a 5-foot-9 senior guard who will play basketball for Washington next season. "He's been wanting me to take 20 or 25 shots a game ...

"Tonight I felt confident, I felt good, so I came out firing."

Top-ranked King's (26-2) won its third overall title, including a 1997 crown in Class 1A, and matched the back-to-back state championships by the school's boys basketball teams in 2001 and 2002.

Rasmussen's team obliterated its four opponents by an average of 19 points.

"I think this [championship] was sweeter because of the expectations and the pressure," he said.

It was also sweeter for juniors Sarah Strand and Danielle Clauson, who had larger roles this season and will be mainstays on next year's team, which will return to Class 1A

"This one was so much more fun for me," said Strand, who scored 13 against Lynden Christian.

Fourth-ranked Lynden Christian (24-3) made only 9 of 42 shots (21.4 percent). The Knights grabbed most of those misses, with Strand getting 10 rebounds and Mosiman nine.

Other games

Pullman 46,

East Valley (Yakima) 41

The Greyhounds (21-5) took advantage of cold shooting by East Valley to capture their first third-place trophy. The Red Devils (25-2), who came in unbeaten and tied with King's for the top spot in the final state poll, lost their second straight and settled for sixth despite Brittnee Lee's 18 points.

Chelan 56, Woodland 50

Cassy Pilkinton put Chelan ahead to stay with a three-pointer in the third quarter and finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and five steals as the Goats (25-2) finished fourth. Woodland (24-3) placed seventh.

Lakeside 48, La Center 25

Kelsey Stillar hit three three-pointers and scored 13 of her 16 points during a third-quarter surge as the Eagles (19-7) from Nine Mile Falls took fifth. La Center (19-8) placed eighth.

The Associated Press

contributed to this report.