The Mountlake Terrace Lady Hawks entered the 2021-2022 with lofty hopes of playing deep into the postseason. And after securing a couple victories in 3A District 1 tournament play this month, Terrace was looking at reaching heights not achieved in the program since 2014.

But the Hawks’ balloon was burst Saturday by a Snohomish Lady Panthers team with high hopes of their own.

With a stifling defensive effort, balanced scoring attack and some aggressive work on the offensive boards, the Panthers earned a 50-28 win over the Hawks in a District 1 tournament 3rd place/elimination game at Everett Community College.

The victory propels Snohomish into the regional round of the WIAA 3A Girls Basketball State Championships; the loss ends Terrace’s season.

The Panthers, the district tournament’s No. 2 seed, scored the first six points of Saturday’s contest and never looked back against the No. 6-seeded Hawks. Snohomish led 32-13 at halftime and then coasted to victory.

Snohomish is expected to get a top-10 seed in the 3A state championship bracket when seeding is announced on Sunday.

Four Panthers reached double figures in scoring Saturday: Jada Anderson led Snohomish with 12 points; the Gallatin sisters — Ella and Addyson — each scored 11 while Cheyenne Rodgers added 10 points.

But it was the rebounding of the Panthers, especially on the offensive end, that gave Terrace the most difficulty, said Hawks’ Coach Nick Starks.

“I think we probably gave up around 12 offensive rebounds and off those 12 rebounds they scored at least 18 points,” Starks noted. “That hurts and that’s a big difference there. In a 22-point loss — 18 (points) there — that hurts. We’re not the biggest team and they had a lot more size — and they definitely used their willpower with their size.”

In total rebounds, Snohomish outmuscled Terrace 30-17 in the game.

The Hawks struggled offensively in the contest too. The 28 points scored by Terrace was their second-lowest output for a game this season. The Hawks also had 10 shots blocked by the bigger Panthers.

Three Hawks led the squad in scoring with six points each — Lindsey Ho, Maile Armstrong and Mya Sheffield.

Despite losing the game and the chance to play in the regional round of the state playoffs, Stark had a positive tone after the contest, choosing to reflect on the success of his squad this season — especially given where Terrace girls basketball has been over the past few years.

“After having not winning a playoff game since 2014 to being one game away from going to the state tournament is huge,” Starks said. “It’s huge for our culture, it’s huge for our program, it’s huge for the future … this is big time.”

“They made me proud, I know they made each other proud. They made the school proud, they made their parents proud,” he added.

Starks believes the experience gained by the team’s underclassmen in this year’s District tourney will pay off next season and beyond.

“Now they see what it takes to get here and now they see what it takes to get to that next level,” he stated.

The Hawks had four seniors play their final game in the program on Saturday: Ho, Ainsley Ward, Emma Kerani and Madison Hudson. This year’s squad also included six juniors who all played significant roles and are expected to be back next year to challenge for roster spots.

To view the entire District 1 3A Girls Basketball Tournament bracket, click www.wescoathletics.com/m2/tourn.php?act=vt&tid=3484. 

Prep Girls Basketball: Mountlake Terrace vs. Snohomish, Feb. 19 (District 1 3A Girls Basketball Tournament 3rd place/elimination game)

Terrace   5   8   9   6 — 28

Snohomish 13 19 11   7 — 50

Mountlake Terrace individual scoring: Lindsey Ho 6, Maile Armstrong 6, Mya Sheffield 6, Elise Colvin 5, Cameron Dunn 2, Sierra Sonko 2, Ainsley Ward 1, Ainslee Beach, Emma Kerani, Madison Hudson

Snohomish individual scoring: Jada Anderson 12, Ella Gallatin 11, Addyson Gallatin 11, Cheyenne Rodgers 10, Tyler Gildersleeve-Stiles 5, Paige Hampton 1, Brianna Ulrich, Catherine Greene, Lindsey McClellan, Cora Larson, Baella Stich

Records: Mountlake Terrace 12-8 overall; Snohomish 16-3 overall

Mountlake Terrace next game: 2021-2022 season completed

— By Doug Petrowski