High school boys and girls basketball teams from Thurston County competed in WIAA District tournament play and will now prepare for Regional games (February 28-March 1) and the State Boys and Girls finals (March 5–8).
In the girls games, North Thurston (3A, 20-0) and Rainier (2B, 19-2) won their District Championships with River Ridge (3A, 18-7) also qualifying in the girls divisions.
In boys basketball, Olympia (4A, 20-3), Tenino (1A, 10-13) and Rainier (2B, 15-10) qualified for ther State Regional games.
The girls team from North Thurston cruised through the 3A District Three play and will face Kennewick at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, at UPS in Tacoma. North Thurston holds the #2 state seed and is guaranteed a game at the Tacoma Dome with a possible first-round bye if they beat Kennewick.
River Ridge joins North Thurston in the 3A tournament but hosts the winner of Decatur and Roosevelt at Mt Tahoma Saturday in a winner-to-state match at 6 p.m.
The Rainier girls team holds the #1 state seed in 2B play and will meet Northwest Christian (Colbert, WA) on Friday, February 28, at 6 p.m. at W.F. West High School in Chehalis. Both teams are guaranteed a State Final game being held at the Spokane Arena March 5-8 with the winner receiving a Wednesday bye.
In boys action, the Olympia team follows the North Thurston girls game Saturday at UPS. The Bears will play at 4 p.m. against North Creek. Olympia enters as the #10 seed and must win to secure a Tacoma Dome game berth March 5.
Tenino will play Chelan at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at Wenatchee High School in a winner-to-state game. Rainier, like Tenino and Olympia, must win to reach its State Final game. Rainier travels to Richland High School and will take on Tri-Cities Prep at noon on Saturday, March 1.
