Timberlake more than just two: Tiger girls roll to seventh straight district title

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

RATHDRUM — You can't blame the opposition for focusing its defense on taking away two of the top all-time scorers in Timberlake High girls basketball history.

But, at least on Tuesday night, the Tigers showed they have others who can make you pay for that strategy.

Five different players hit 3-pointers, and nine players overall scored, as top-seeded Timberlake won its seventh straight 3A District 1 title, 54-18 over No. 3 Bonners Ferry in a game moved to Lakeland High due to floor damage in Timberlake's gym.

"It just gives the rest of us an opportunity to show that we're capable of scoring, too," Timberlake senior Bernie Carhart said. "And we really brought it to them tonight, and that was awesome."

Timberlake (20-2), the defending state champion, advances to state next week at Middleton High. The Tigers open next Thursday at 6 p.m. PST vs. the District 3 runner-up — Parma and McCall play Thursday for the top two seeds to state from District 3.

Bonners Ferry (12-7) travels to No. 2 Kellogg (8-10) tonight at 6 in the second-place game, with the winner advancing to a state play-in game Saturday at Grangeville. Kellogg eliminated No. 4 Priest River (4-17) 57-21 in a loser-out game.

Bonners Ferry's triangle-and-two defense held guard Taryn Soumas to 10 points and forward and Texas-Rio Grande Valley-bound Brooke Jessen to five.

But senior Olivia Hammond and junior McKennah Kronenberg each hit a pair of 3-pointers and chipped in six points. Carhart hit a 3 and totaled four points, five rebounds, five steals and five assists, and senior Kati Bain hit a pair of 3s, and finished with seven points and five boards.

Inside, 6-5 senior Blayre Jeffs came off the bench and scored seven of her game-high 11 points in the first quarter.

"It's just nice to show that teams can't do that to us," Hammond said. "We don't just have Brooke and Taryn; we have a whole team that's capable of making plays and making shots. And I think we showed that tonight."

Soumas ably dished off to wide-open teammates for 3-pointers, finishing with four assists. She also hit a 3, and had four rebounds.

"They did excellent (against the triangle-and-two)," Timberlake coach Matt Miller said. "We shared the ball really well, We executed the things we've been trying to do against it. The other kids stepped up and made shots.

"For the girls more than anything, this should give them a confidence boost, to know teams have to play them honest, and if they don't, we should have an answer for it."

Asha Abubakari, one of two freshman starters for Bonners Ferry, led the Badgers with eight points and six rebounds. Bonners trailed 31-14 at halftime, then Kronenberg hit back-to-back 3s as Timberlake started the second half on an 11-0 run, and the Badgers managed just two baskets and four points after intermission.

"The triangle-and-two worked at our place," said Bonners Ferry coach Travis Hinthorn, referring to Timberlake's 53-39 win at Bonners two weeks ago. "You know Brooke and Taryn can beat you; let's make somebody else beat us. Here, they shot a little bit better. We didn't stay in our triangle; we wanted to get up top and pressure, and then we got beat inside.

"And they're big and physical defensively. They can physically control us one-on-one. Our best offense is in transition, and they don't turn the ball over much.

"Up there, Blayre killed us. We can't reach 6-5."

Bonners Ferry 6 8 2 2 — 18

Timberlake 16 15 17 6 — 54

BONNERS FERRY — B. Bayer 0, Villaluz 0, Pluid 0, Sa. Hill 0, A. Bayer 0, Bliss 0, Blackmore 4, Abubakari 8, Ansley 2, Si. Hill 0, Sumpter 2, Pinkerton 2.

TIMBERLAKE — T. Soumas 10, Hammond 6, Kronenberg 6, C. Soumas 3, Wall 2, Carhart 4, Jessen 5, Bain 7, Peterson 0, Jeffs 11.