TACOMA — The dream season for the Prairie girls basketball team ended one win shy of the ultimate goal.
Instead of cutting down the nets Saturday at the Tacoma Dome, the Falcons had to settle for second place at the Class 3A state tournament.
They took comfort in knowing it took a perfect team to beat them.
Tournament MVP Claire Conricode had 17 of her 20 points in the first half, Sophie Reichelt added 12 points, and Erika Johnson had six points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, leading Holy Names of Seattle to a 57-48 victory.
The Cougars completed a 29-0 season for the program’s first state championship.
“We got beat by a really great team,” Prairie senior Angela Gelhar said.
The Falcons (27-1) also put a scare into the Cougars.
Prairie cut a 15-point first-half deficit to four points midway through the third quarter. While the Falcons never got any closer, they remained within striking distance.
They did so with a banged-up team — one former starter on the sidelines in a wheelchair, and two other key players hobbling throughout the finals.
“I feel like everybody gave it all they had,” said senior Lauren Goecke, who had eight points. “It all came down to heart, and we never, ever gave up.”
Gelhar, who was voted to the all-tournament’s second team, echoed that sentiment.
“I can honestly say this is the best team, as a team, as a family,” she said. “Even though we didn’t get first place, this team is a treasure.”
The Falcons knew they were up against a team that had it all — size, quickness, and talent. Holy Names put that on display from the outset of the contest, jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the first four minutes.
Prairie’s defense held Johnson, a state player-of-the-year candidate, to six points. However, the California-bound senior did get 13 rebounds, giving her 49 in the three games in the dome.
Many of her passes went to Conricode, and the Prairie defense had no answer for her in the first half. Shooting from deep and deeper, Conricode made five 3-pointers in the first half.
The Falcons still weren’t rattled. They finished the first half with six consecutive points to pull within nine. Then they opened the third quarter strong, getting to within four on Lanae Adams’ put-back basket.
“It was so amazing. Our focus got back and we were ready to go, we were ready to win,” said Adams, who endured a bad knee to play a few minutes and make a few plays for the Falcons. “Even though the outcome wasn’t what we wanted, I was happy to play with my team, to be here for them.”
Holy Names responded with back-to-back 3-pointers, the first from Laura Sullivan, then the sixth 3-pointer of the game from Conricode, making it 41-31 with 4:01 left in the third.
Jackie Lanz and Megan Lindsley each scored 12 points to lead the Falcons. Lanz scored four points in the final 40 seconds of the third period to pull Prairie to within six at 43-37.
The Cougars scored first in the fourth quarter, and Prairie never got closer than six the rest of the way. Trailing by nine at 51-42, the Falcons defense held Holy Names scoreless for nearly three minutes, but the Prairie offense could not convert on its next five possessions.
“Valiant effort. We didn’t quit,” Prairie coach Al Aldridge said. “It’s disappointing because we didn’t execute the game plan the way we wanted to. At the same time, can’t fault them for the effort, heart, and desire.”
Lindsley’s 3-pointer with 3:32 remaining in the first quarter got Prairie on the board. Goecke and Kelsey Asplund also scored in the period to give the Falcons some confidence after such a rough start.
Goecke’s basket early in the second period made it a seven-point game at 20-13, but Conricode nailed back-to-back 3-pointers, and Johnson added a field goal to make it a 15-point game in about a minute.
Johnson said she was not nervous going into this contest.
“I was 100 confident we were going to win this game,” she said.
But, she added, Prairie proved to be a worthy opponent. Johnson also took note of Prairie’s warm-up T-shirts, with the message that second place is like kissing your sister. The shirt was in reference to Prairie’s second-place finish at district last season. Holy Names, though, finished second at state last year.
“When I saw those shirts, I said, ‘You got that right.’ “
The Prairie juniors, sophomores and freshman will have a chance to make it right for them next season. But the Falcons have to say goodbye to Adams, Gelhar, Goecke, and Lynn Idelberger.
“I’m disappointed for my seniors, but I’m also happy for my seniors that they got here,” Aldridge said.
Gelhar added: “We got second place. There are a lot of teams that could only dream of this. We trophied this year.”
HOLY NAMES 57, PRAIRIE 48
PRAIRIE — Angela Gelhar 4, Cori Woodward 4, Kelsey Asplund 4, Lanae Adams 2, Lauren Goecke 8, Nicole Goecke 0, Megan Lindsley 12, Andrea Smith 2, Lynn Idelberger 0, Jackie Lanz 12. Totals 17-53 (4-13) 10-14 48.
HOLY NAMES — Cara Lohman 0, Laura Sullivan 8, Erika Johnson 6, Magenta Dumpit 0, Kayla Warren 2, Claire Conricode 20, Olivia Vincent 0, Alexis Reichelt 0, Chalayia Fuller 1, Jasmine McCleave 8, Sophie Reichelt 12. Totals 21-52 (8-25) 7-9 57.
Prairie 7 15 15 11–48
Holy Names 14 17 12 14–57
