Inglemoor girls season ends, boys set for state

When tight games are at hand, Inglemoor’s Abby Haller said the Vikings have the utmost confidence in each other to push forward.

Against Lake Stevens on Feb. 20, Haller, Dulcy Solomon and Isabella Reed all contributed points to turn a four-point deficit into a four-point, 40-36 lead in the third quarter.

In the loser-out, winner-to-state 4A Wes-King District Tournament game at Jackson High, Lake Stevens had the final say, coming back and controlling the remainder of the game to notch a 57-45 victory.

Haller led the Vikings (18-7) with a career-high 22 points.

“I think we always just try to not look at the scoreboard at all and just believe in each other,” Haller said. “We have a saying that we do at practice called, ‘Score, Stop, Score,’ where it’s just about looking ahead and focusing on every play in itself, and I feel like we really did that.”

Inglemoor lost to Glacier Peak, 63-45, on Feb. 18 in the district tourney to set up the Lake Stevens matchup. Against Glacier Peak, Lucy Young scored 13 points, Haller tallied 12 and Colbi Zorich had 10.

Inglemoor head coach Kristina Schumacher said that although the Vikings won’t be playing at state for the second consecutive season, “I have the best group of kids in the state.”

The coaches never doubt that their players will be competitive and gritty on the court.

“We preach it. If you play the game and you competed the whole way, we have a shot,” Schumacher said.

On the boys’ side, Glacier Peak defeated the Vikings, 50-29, in the district championship game on Feb. 21 at Everett Community College.

State is next on the docket for Inglemoor, which is 18-9 on the season.