Kyle Karnofski hands out a booklet of the history of W.F. West High School girls basketball team after each season. Flip through the pages and there’s career leaders, season records since the inception of the sport in Chehalis in 1976 and more.
There’s a column in the very first inside page that reads “D. Place” also known as district tournament finish.
And for a program that is nearing 700 career wins, has won various league titles and even a Class 2A state championship, one milestone is blank.
Back-to-back District 4 champs.
“To have that opportunity is super cool,” Karnofski, the ninth head coach in school history, said. “That solidifies their legacy.”
The Bearcats have a chance to capture a second straight district title after blowing out Woodland 67-25 in the semifinals on Monday night at home. They also will be in the state tournament for the ninth consecutive season.
If W.F. West (22-1) ends up as a top-four seed in the 2A field, it will have one final home game before trekking to Yakima.
Coupled with Columbia River’s double-digit win in the other semifinal, it will be a rematch of last year’s district title game won by the Bearcats, 51-41.
“The disadvantage is, it is the playoffs,” Karnofski said. “Sometimes, people in the playoffs step up. The advantages are we know who (this team is). It is going to be a fun matchup and we’re excited.”
This senior class cut down the nets in Kelso last winter as juniors. They were the runners-up two years ago and haven’t forgotten that feeling. Before every season, the Bearcats write down a list of goals to achieve.
The one they’re 32 minutes away from was near the top of the list.
A win on Friday night would mark the fourth district championship in team history.
“Just making sure we’re locking in,” senior Julia Dalan said.
Another fast start fueled the Bearcats, this time scoring the first 18 points of the night. What followed was an event that no opponent had done before.
Woodland (16-4) answered emphatically with an 11-1 spree while star player Kennedy Bockert sat with two fouls.
W.F. West landed the first punch. Woodland delivered the counter.
“We know we can play with them, we just can’t give them runs,” Beavers head coach Glen Flanagan said. “They’re good and you have to do the little things to stop them. And we didn’t.”
The Bearcats dominated the rest of the way.
Dalan, even after sitting out for three-plus minutes in the third quarter with a bloody nose, recorded a 30-point, 17-rebound double-double. Dilyn Boeck poured in 21 points and Kaitlyn Chloupek added eight.
They outscored Woodland 48-14 the final three quarters. The final eight minutes featured a 23-1 margin in favor of W.F. West.
“We did a good job of switching up to man and zone,” Grace Simpson said. “Didn’t let them get anything easy the whole night.”
During the stretch when Dalan and the trainers were doing everything in their power to halt the bloody nose, the Bearcats never let Woodland get a sliver of momentum.
Simpson, Amanda Bennett and Rhylee Beebe kept Bockert – held to nine points on just four made shots – in check.
“My face was just being dramatic,” Dalan said.
Since 2007, the Evergreen Conference has dominated the district. A W.F. West victory would make it six straight for the EvCo and 15th overall.
Still, the Bearcats understand the target is square on their back.
“Play as a team, continue to grow as we get into these more important games,” Simpson said. “(Go) make a statement.”
