The Eatonville Lady Cruisers secured their place in the 2A State Tournament in dramatic fashion Saturday night, edging out the Fife Trojans 51-48 in a nail-biting contest at the West Central District
The Eatonville Lady Cruisers secured their place in the 2A State Tournament in dramatic fashion Saturday night, edging out the Fife Trojans 51-48 in a nail-biting contest at the West Central District 3 playoffs.
With the season on the line, Eatonville battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit, outscoring Fife 18-10 in the third quarter to pull within three heading into the final frame. The Cruisers opened the fourth with a pivotal 9-1 run, grabbing a five-point lead that proved to be the difference. Despite Fife’s best efforts to claw back, Eatonville matched them shot for shot.
With 30 seconds remaining and the Cruisers up by four, Fife’s A.J. Jones-Laguna was fouled on a drive to the basket, converting one of two free throws to trim the lead to three. Eatonville successfully inbounded the ball, and senior Bailey Andersen dribbled across midcourt, ensuring the Cruisers maintained possession as time expired. As the buzzer sounded, Andersen let out a triumphant yell, celebrating Eatonville’s second consecutive trip to the state tournament.
“Our girls showed incredible heart tonight,” said head coach Deanna Andersen. “When we were down at halftime, we knew we had to dig deep and execute. They believed in each other, and that’s what made the difference.”
Andersen, who reached another milestone by scoring her 1,500th career point earlier in the game, led the Cruisers with 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Lillian Bickford added 11 points and two blocks, while Hailey Hall contributed nine points and eight rebounds. Tia Schanbeck had a crucial defensive presence, pulling down eight rebounds and making two key blocks down the stretch.
“I told the team at halftime that we needed to take control of the game and that they needed to want it more,” Coach Andersen added. “Bailey and Tia stepped up as leaders, and our defense was relentless. That’s what got us the win.”
Coach Andersen also highlighted the importance of the team’s depth, saying, “It’s so important that we have girls on the bench we can count on in Miley, Sadie, and Jordyn so that the starters can get their needed breaks without worrying about losing ground they have made up.”
Additionally, she praised the defensive contributions of Alayna Meyer, stating, “Alayna stepping up her defensive pressure and getting her hands or feet on lots of balls disrupting offensive advances from the other team has been great to see and a real help to the team’s success.”
The victory capped off an intense three-game stretch for Eatonville in the district tournament.
Earlier in the week, The Lady Cruisers opened the tournament with a dominant 75-35 victory over Clover Park on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Rainier Connect Arena. Andersen stole the spotlight by breaking Eatonville High School’s all-time boys’ scoring record, previously set by a former standout Jordan Osborn in 2004.. She achieved the feat in the third quarter, driving coast-to-coast for a layup that put Eatonville up 44-23. The game was briefly paused as fans erupted in celebration of Andersen’s remarkable accomplishment. She finished the night with 30 points and six rebounds, while Bickford added 17 points.
The victory advanced Eatonville to the semifinals, where they faced the Port Angeles Roughriders on Thursday, Feb. 20. The Cruisers held a commanding 14-point halftime lead, but turnovers proved costly as Port Angeles stormed back, hitting five of their six three-pointers in the fourth quarter to steal a 48-44 win. Andersen led Eatonville with 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four steals, while Hall nearly notched a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The loss dropped Eatonville into the consolation bracket, setting up their high-stakes showdown with Fife for a state berth.
With a 20-4 record, the WIAA seeding committee awarded the Lady Cruisers the No. 11 seed in the 16-team state tournament. They will face the 14th-seeded Ridgefield Spudders (11-12) in a loser-out, winner-advances first-round matchup on Friday February 28th at Mt. Tahoma HS with the tipoff scheduled for 6 pm.
“Our goal was to get back to state, and now we’ve done it,” Coach Andersen said. “But we’re not satisfied yet. We have more work to do, and this team is ready for the challenge.”
As the Lady Cruisers prepare for the next stage, they do so with momentum, resilience, and a senior leader in Andersen who has cemented her legacy as one of Eatonville’s all-time greats.
The road to state was not easy, but the Lady Cruisers proved they belong among Washington’s best.
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