Warriors boys earn seventh place at state

Chief Leschi Warriors prove themselves at Class 2B boys basketball state tournament in Spokane

Shaun Scott

It wasn’t quite what the Chief Leschi Warriors boys basketball team envisioned but what it attained was a phenomenal accomplishment nonetheless.

When it was all over, the Warriors made the 291-mile trek home from Spokane with a seventh-place finish at the Class 2B boys basketball state tournament in their grasp. The Warriors recorded victories against Willapa Valley and Entiat and suffered losses against Liberty Christian and Napavine at the tourney.

“Even though we wanted to win the state championship I told the guys nobody else even expected us to make it here,” Warriors head coach Eric Smith said. “They were a little bit down (after loss to Napavine in fourth/seventh place game) but to get seventh place is a great accomplishment. These kids worked hard all year long and placed. It’s a great achievement for them.”

“Our goal as a team at the beginning of the year was to make to state and we did,” Smith said. “Joey and Ali stepped up. They both had two games where they scored more than 20 points. I’m proud of them. All of our seniors worked hard. It has to be an amazing feeling for all of them.”

When practices kicked off in early November, Smith laid out a challenge to his team and it responded emphatically, turning in an overall record of 15-7 during the 2009-10 campaign.

“I want to thank all of the players and assistant coaches for a great season,” Smith said. “I told the guys if they worked their butts off this year I would get them to the state tournament. We started from there and just went. We did it. They did all of the work that got us to where we are now. It’s been great blessing and the guys on the team deserve all of the credit.”

Reach Sports Editor Shaun Scott at 253-841-2481 ext. 316 or by e-mail at shaun.scott@puyallupherald.com.