By WESLEY REMMER
Staff writer
Megan Spence closed out a stellar high school career at King’s West with another dominant effort in the Lady Warriors’ 76-14 drubbing of The Bear Creek School on Senior Night.
Spence and fellow senior Megan Morris were recognized for four years of hard play before the game, receiving hugs, flowers and congratulation’ from family, friends and the Lady Warrior coaching staff.
“I remember as a freshman, I didn’t understand why everyone was crying,” Spence said of her last home game in the King’s West gymnasium. “Now I understand why Senior Night is such a big deal.”
Spence and Morris ended their Warrior careers undefeated against league opponents at home. And they lost only one league road game all four years, a triple-overtime defeat against Evergreen Lutheran last year.
Tuesday night’s contest was no exception as KW (13-5) used a staggering 45-0 run between the first and third quarters en route to a 27-2 lead after one quarter, a 42-2 lead by halftime and an eye-opening 49-2 lead midway through the third quarter.
“We gelled tonight,” coach Brian Hanley said. “We like where we are as a team. All the components came together at the right time for us.”
Quick starts are nothing new to the Lady Warriors, who have jumped on their opponents early all season, but Tuesday night’s route topped them all.
Morris added 18 for KW as the two seniors combined to score 50 points.
And though shaky in early season games against tough opponents, including perennial state powerhouse La Salle, the Lady Warriors are now red hot, reeling off 11-consecutive league victories to clinch the 2B SeaTac crown.
And with postseason play around the corner — the 2B SeaTac League Tournament begins today at Chief Leschi High School in Puyallup — Hanley likes his team’s chances.
“The early season pains led to growth in our team,” he said, “and that was apparent tonight, especially on offense. We were patient and looked for our safety options when the first choice wasn’t there. “
Spence, a two-time SeaTac League MVP, has been the Lady Warriors’ first choice all year.
“She’s smart, she’’s personable, and she’s obviously a great athlete,” Hanley said. “Whoever gets her next will get a great person who is at a great starting point.”
Senior night was particularly special for Hanley and Spence because it marked the end of the tandem’s incredible basketball run.
“She’s my niece, so there’s a family tie there,” Hanley said. “We have a long-standing relationship that’s been made stronger through basketball.”
As for Spence’s next step?
“Well, for some reason I’ve always had a dream to be a judge,” she shrugged with a smile. “But I want to play basketball at Lewis and Clark (University).”
As for what she learned at KW, Spence said success is all about being advantageous.
“Take advantage of every opportunity and enjoy high school, because it goes by really fast,” she said.
Spence will look to end her high-school career on a high note with a nice playoff run and she’s confident KW can do just that.
“We’re a really tight team,” she said. “We have really tough practices, which bring us together and make us comfortable around each other in the locker room.”
Boys hoops
After losing two more games, the King’s West boys basketball team has one last regular season game to end its losing streak, which is currently standing at 14 games. The Warriors lost against Auburn Adventist on the road Jan. 31, 74-50, and fell 64-28 to The Bear Creek School at home Tuesday. The team’s leading scorer, junior Drew McCullough, led the way both games, scoring 13 against Adventist and 14 against BC. KW (1-16) ended the regular season Thursday at Quilcene. Results were unavailable at press time.
