STATE CHAMPIONS

Odessa overwhelms Yakama Nation Tribal

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, The Odessa Record | Last updated Mar 18, 2020 11:44am0

Stan Dammel count

The Washington state 1B basketball champions celebrated their undefeated season Saturday at the Spokane Arena. For the first time in its history, the Tiger basketball team has won the number-one spot. Back row: Statistician Kaya Kuchenbuch, asst. coach Larry Moffet, Marcus King, Ryan Moffet, Jaden Hunt, Tim DeWulf, Jett Nelson, Jacob Scrupps, Eric Johnston, head coach Larry Weber. Front row: Ireland Luiten, Kaylee McKinney, Nathan Carstensen, Joshua Clark, Camden Weber, Daeton Deife, Josie Westmoreland, Alyssa Iverson, Ella Caler.

For the first time in the history of Odessa High School sports, the Tiger basketball team has won the state championship. That win came at the end of a perfect season of 27 wins and no losses. It also came in the same academic year that the Odessa High football team won its own state championship game, also with a perfect season behind it. Many of the same athletes played on both teams. In fact, basketball season was delayed because the football season went all the way into December. Most members of the team have played organized sports together since the second grade. But even before that, most of them met one another during their preschool years. While their parents attended the high school contests as fans, the youngsters played their own versions of football or basketball wherever they could find a grassy field or a hoop on the playground. They've known each other well for most of their lives, and they have learned that having each other's backs will lead them to success.

At the Spokane Arena March 7, the Tigers faced the Yakama Nation Tribal Eagles of Toppenish after the Eagles had defeated the Lummi Nation Blackhawks and the Tigers had defeated the Naselle Comets in the semifinal round the day before. The Arena put on quite a show for the introduction of the two teams about to play for the championship. The lighting on the floor was doused, roving spotlights were turned on and music played over the loudspeakers as the players on each team were announced. The Tigers were fired up and ready to play. The tipoff by Marcus King went to Odessa, and Odessa also scored first.

Author Bio

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, Editor

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby is an editor with Free Press Publishing. She is the former owner and current editor of the Odessa Record, based in Odessa, Wash.