The road to a state championship continues Wednesday for the last two local teams still alive in their respective classifications.
The Central Kitsap boys surprised Shorecrest in the regional round to earn at least one more game and a trip to the Tacoma Dome while the North Kitsap boys were bested by Tumwater but had already secured a top eight seed, and thus, a place at the Yakima SunDome.
Here’s a quick look at Wednesday’s matchups.
No. 14 Central Kitsap vs. No. 3 Marysville-Pilchuk, 9 a.m. at the Tacoma Dome
The Cougars have been full of surprises this season. Despite graduating four starters and a couple of veteran reserves, Central Kitsap finished in second place in the South Sound Conference and played close games with league champ Gig Harbor. They then went out and knocked off Prairie and Capital to reach the regional round where they dispatched No. 11 Shorecrest.
Colby White’s 35-point performance in the Shorecrest game was a career high, and with a tough opponent ahead, the Cougars will need their best player to keep on scoring.
They could pull off an even bigger upset Wednesday morning at the Tacoma Dome if they can take out Marysville-Pilchuk, which was upset by Kamiakin in the regional round. The Tomahawks are 21-3 on the season and won the Wesco 3A and the District 1 tournament.
A loss would end Central Kitsap’s outstanding season while a victory would guarantee them at least two more games.
No. 3 North Kitsap vs. No. 11 Selah, 3:45 p.m. at the Yakima SunDome
There were a number of upsets in the 2A regional boys bracket, and unfortunately the Vikings were one of them as they couldn’t get past Tumwater on Saturday.
Aside from North Kitsap, No. 2 Toppenish and No. 4 Lindbergh, which beat the Vikings in the District 3 championship, were also beaten at regionals.
The Vikings still have the talent to make a deep run in Yakima, but they will have to refocus quickly with a tough Selah team first up on their schedule in a loser-out game. North Kitsap beat Selah 55-43 at the SunDome shootout in December, so they are familiar with their opponent.
