
Story and photos by Doug Petrowski
Admission tickets to MTHS girls basketball games should come with a warning label as the Hawks keep finding themselves in close, tense match-ups that often come down to the final possession. Monday’s game against the Shorecrest Scots was another nail biter, and again, Terrace pulled out a gutsy come-from-behind victory, 53-52.
The lead changed hands nine times in the final nine minutes of the Wesco 3A clash, the final time when Nikkie Froehlich sunk two free throws with 5.5 seconds, giving Mountlake Terrace a one-point lead. The Scots had one last chance, but tight Hawk defense forced Shorecrest’s Onyie Chibuogwu into a traveling call with 2.1 seconds remaining, giving Terrace the ball and the win.
“We did not keep our composure well,” Scot head coach Dori Monson said after the game.
It was the Hawks that did not look good in the first half, as the team committed 12 turnovers and found themselves down 26-16 at the half. Shorecrest built their big lead after an 11-2 run to end the second quarter.
“We felt as coaches we were lucky to only be down by 10 at the half because we were so dysfunctional out there on the floor,” said Hawks head coach David Brophy.

Terrace fought their way back into the game with an 8-0 run to begin the third quarter and the long range three-point shooting of senior Taylor Smith, who led the team in scoring with 13 points. Maddy Kristjanson and Samantha Romanowski added 12 points each for the Hawks. The team committed only four turnovers after the break.
Chibuogwu led all scorers with 14 points; teammate Bella Kemp scored 10 for the Scots.
The victory was Terrace’s third in a row, fifth in the Hawks’ past seven games, and lifted their record to 5-7 in Wesco league play, 8-11 overall. Shorecrest dropped to 7-5 in the league, 10-9 overall.
The match-up was the final home game for the Hawks and for seniors Smith and Siera Prout, who were honored before the opening tip-off. The team’s final game of the season is Wednesday, Jan. 30, when they face Wesco 3A South conference leader Glacier Peak on the road at 7:15 p.m.
Mountlake Terrace quarter scoring: 10 – 6 – 22 – 15 – 53
Shorecrest quarter scoring: 13 – 13 – 11 – 15 – 52
Mountlake Terrace individual scoring: Taylor Smith 13; Maddy Kristjanson 12; Samantha Romanowski 12; Nikkie Froehlich 10; Shaian Pagaling 4; Riley Zucker 2; Kirsty Dale; Kenzie Grayson; Siera Prout
Shorecrest individual scoring: Onyie Chibuogwu 14; Bella Kemp 10; Uju Chibuogwu 9; Annie Schlachter 9; Keegan Monson 8; Kathryn Lindsey 1; Lindsey Shattuck 1; Wurrie Njadoe; Sophia Viviano
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