Special kind of sendoff
Photo by JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Klaire Mitchell tries to steal the ball from Meridian’s Graci Kolkva on Saturday in the 5A consolation championship game at Ridgevue High in Nampa.
Photo by JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Lake City freshman Kendall Pickford lays the ball up against Meridian in the 5A consolation championship game Saturday at Ridgevue High in Nampa.
Photo by JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Sara Muehlhausen of Lake City shoots a short jumper against Meridian in the 5A girls consolation championship game Saturday at Ridgevue High in Nampa.
Photo by JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Chloe Teets of Lake City lays up the ball on a baseline drive against Meridian in the 5A girls consolation championship game Saturday at Ridgevue High in Nampa.
NAMPA — It might not have been the win on Saturday that they came for, but it was still a pretty special one for the Lake City Timberwolves.
Senior Bridget Rieken had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves in a 47-35 win over the Meridian Warriors in the state 5A girls basketball consolation championship at Ridgevue High.
“It was very special for us,” said Rieken, who has signed to play soccer at Washington State. “For a lot of us, we’re never going to touch a basketball game, so it was nice to win and bring something back.”
Rieken missed most of the third quarter after injuring her ankle on a jumper to give Lake City a 21-12 lead less than a minute into the quarter. Sara Muehlhausen, who has signed to play basketball at Lewis-Clark State, had six points and three rebounds for Lake City off the bench.
“We knew Bridget was going to come back after that ankle injury because that’s just who she is,” second-year Lake City coach James Anderson said. “Sara, being a senior in her last game, came in and made an imprint on this and did a great job.”
Senior point guard Chloe Teets, a College of Idaho soccer signee, scored all seven of her points in the fourth quarter for Lake City.
“It was nice to end on a positive note,” Teets said. “All the years and playing AAU ball, it’s really good to end with a good note.”
Muehlhausen hit a pair of free throws to give Lake City a 47-32 lead late in the fourth.
“I felt a lot more comfortable today,” Muehlhausen said. “As the season has gone on, I’ve gotten a lot more used to playing with this group.”
Lake City, winners of the Region 1 title, finishes 22-4. Meridian, which beat Post Falls in a state play-in game, finishes 15-14.
“They weren’t going to let it go any other way,” Anderson said. “That’s just who they are. They were absolutely sure they were going to take something home. You could see it in their eyes when they showed up for breakfast this morning.”
Lake City finished 13 of 34 (38.2 percent) from the field in the game.
“That’s the difference between a good team and a great team is a great team can figure out a way to win when they don’t shoot the ball well,” Anderson said. “And they figured out a way, and our defense was awesome.”
Lake City, at state for the third time in four years, bounced back from a first-round loss to eventual 5A champion Eagle to beat Rigby and Meridian to bring home its first trophy since winning the consolation title in 2016.
“I’ve done this 16 years now, and this is the most special group I’ve had,” said Anderson, a longtime assistant in the Timberwolf boys program prior to taking the girls job. “This group is just warriors and fighters, and just a blast to coach and be around. They’re not the most skilled basketball players I’ve had, but they fight and find a way.”
Meridian 7 5 5 18 — 35
Lake City 8 11 12 16 — 47
MERIDIAN — Watson 5, Hanson 6, Berger 0, Wing 0, Kolka 8, Lawrence 7, Mpoyo 0, White 2, Klinger 7. Totals 14-49 2-6 35.
LAKE CITY — Pickford 3, Avery 3, Muehlhausen 6, Mitchell 4, Teets 7, Rieken 17, Miller 0, Littman 0, Chase 0, Wilson 3, Rewers 4, Parks 0, Hawkins 0, Golden 0. Totals 13-34 18-34 47.