KELSO — Over the course of the season, W.F. West has prided itself on its depth. The Bearcats have consistently gone to their bench during games throughout the season, and that was no different in the third quarter of the 2A District 4 Championship Game in Kelso on Saturday.
In that frame, W.F. West scored the first 12 points, extending its lead over Mark Morris to more than 20.
“That was a testament to how deep we can play,” W.F. West coach Kyle Karnofski said.
It was only fitting that the third quarter was the one that all but sealed W.F. West’s district fate, as the Bearcats rolled to a 72-38 victory to win their third straight district championship.
“A three-peat, you don’t hear that often,” Joy Cushman said. “I’m just so proud of us.”
W.F. West didn’t pull away until after halftime, but the signs were there early that the Bearcats were ready to go.
Cushman hit a three on their first possession, Dilyn Boeck followed with back-to-back three within minutes, and midway through the first, W.F. West had already built a 15-4 lead.
Mark Morris followed with its best stretch, scoring 11 straight to tie the game, and midway through the second, the Monarchs were still within three.
“I had no doubt,” Caroline Buzzard said. “I don’t think anybody had any doubt. It’s just a part of basketball. Things happen like that.”
Boeck followed with a bucket to put W.F. West back up five, and Izzy Teeter and Kaitlyn Chloupek followed with layups just 10 seconds apart thanks to a Mark Morris turnover. Boeck added a three-point play minutes later, and a Cushman basket in the final seconds put the Bearcats up 12 at the break.
“We just calmed down a little bit,” Teeter said. “Everyone just took a deep breath, and we just went back to how we know how to play.”
The second half was all W.F. West. Buzzard opened the 12-0 run to start the half, one where nine different Bearcats got on the scoresheet.
“I just get so excited for my teammates and everything we’ve achieved,” Buzzard said. “We’ve been working since the summer to get here. This is the goal, and this is just one of the first stages.”
Boeck finished with a game-high 26 points, putting her three-game tournament total at 77.
“Her ability to make plays is super impressive,” Karnofski said. “Dilyn was a great catalyst for making some plays. She was tough rebounding, she was tough in the press, she was all over the place. She did a heck of a job.”
Teeter tallied 11 points, and both Cushman and Chloupek scored 10. Hadley Hoffman and Mallory Gaskill both scored four, Buzzard added three, and Amanda Linwood and Drees Cushman both logged two.
“I’m super proud of them,” Karnofski said. “There were a lot of people that doubted us and didn’t think that we’d be able to do a whole lot. This group has been super resilient, and they have found ways to work together. The camaraderie and depth that this group has has been awesome.”
Karnofski added that it's extra satisfying maintaining the level of success that last year’s senior class ended on. Not only has W.F. West now won three straight district titles, but they’ve now hit the 20-win mark in each of the last five seasons.
“You have different kids starting that out and different kids continuing that,” Karnofski said. “Just proud of our whole program, top to bottom. We had girls that worked their butt off on scout team all week. We had coaches in there doing scout team stuff. I just really appreciate our program. The Bearcat family, community, and legacy that we have going, it’s very special.”
Buzzard and the rest of the seniors — Hoffman, Linwood, Madi Baine, and Dayani Ojeda — have been around for all three titles, as have a few others. But for Cushman, who returned to basketball after missing all of last season, climbing the ladder to cut the net meant a little extra.
“It means everything to me,” Cushman said. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to do it with.”
Cushman and the rest of the Bearcats (20-4) aren’t done. They’re a virtual lock to earn a top-8 seed in the state tournament, which would have them playing for a first-round bye in Yakima.
That Regional Round matchup will come on either Friday or Saturday, and their opponent will be determined when the WIAA releases their tournament brackets on Sunday around noon.
“The goal’s still there,” Karnofski said. “The goal was to go win league, we did that. Win districts, we did that. The goal is to bring home a trophy, and that’s still doable.”
If the Bearcats are able to bring home a trophy, it would be their third in the last five state tournaments.
“We’re gonna trophy at state,” Buzzard said. “We’re gonna do it.”
