YAKIMA — As Zillah’s potential game-tying shot bounced off the rim within the last seconds of extra time, Seton Catholic’s Riley Seymer had only one thought on her thoughts.
“Basically, the shot went up and like in my brain the whole time was ‘Rebound! Rebound! Rebound!’ ” the 6-foot-1 junior stated. “So being able to get that and secure it was definitely like a huge relief. I got the ball and went (sigh!). OK, everybody can just like breath.”
Seymer pulled down the rebound, drew a foul then sealed the sport with two free throws with 0.6 seconds left, propelling No. 6 Seton to a 69-65 extra time win towards No. 3 Zillah on Saturday within the opening spherical of the 1A ladies state event at Davis Excessive College.
“It’s a big accomplishment for us,” Seymer stated. “From Day 1 of this season, we’ve been talking about getting to the Dome, making it to the Dome. And now that we’re really here, we’re all super excited. We’ve all (put in) hard work for it, so it’s really good.”
The win marks Seton Catholic’s first journey to the 1A state quarterfinals and the Cougars’ first journey to the Yakima SunDome. The Cougars will play Thursday towards an opponent to be decided.
However to get there, it required a battle towards a veteran Zillah crew.
Led by Seymer, the Cougars went on a 16-2 run within the first half to construct a 35-22 lead.
Seton clung to its double-digit lead within the third regardless of 13-points from Zillah submit Makenna Klitzke. These factors included Klitzke’s 1,000th profession level regardless of being only a sophomore.
Nevertheless it was within the fourth quarter that the Leopards charged again on Seton.
“(Zillah) can make runs like nobody else I’ve seen in the tournament right now,” Seton coach Phil Kent stated. “You can be up 10, and in 60 seconds, it’s a tie game. So we knew it was going to be a battle.”
It didn’t take Zillah a minute to erase a 51-41 deficit getting into the fourth quarter. However the Leopards lastly caught Cougars at 63-63 on a scooping shot by Angelina Buck with 27 seconds left in regulation.
Seton Catholic had a superb look to win it in regulation, however Madison Lee’s drive to the ring rolled off the rim with 4 seconds left, sending the sport into extra time.
“We knew it was going to come down to the last minutes,” Kent stated. “I didn’t want it go to overtime.”
Momentum was on Zillah’s aspect, closing out the fourth quarter with a 12-4 run.
Baskets have been onerous to return by within the extra time interval, however Tiffany Sheldon gave Seton a 65-63 with a leap with 1:55 to play. Klitzke shortly acquired the sport even once more at 65-65 with 1:38 to go.
After each groups missed a pair of free throws every, Lee drove to the ring and drew a foul with 19 seconds to go. The junior hit each free throws to place Seton up 67-65.
Zillah got here downcourt in search of Klitzke once more. However when Seymer’s robust protection denied her the ball, Bella Valadez drove the left aspect of the lane and put up a shot that was off the mark.
Seymer pulled down the important rebound, sending the Cougars to the quarterfinals.
Seymer led the Cougars (19-6) with 23 factors. Lee had 16 factors, Sheldon had 13 and Remy Jenniges had 10. Klitzke led Zillah with 27 factors.
The win was the Cougars’ seventeenth in a row, making their 2-6 begin a distant reminiscence.
“I think it’s cool to see all of our hard work pay off and see us getting better to make it to state,” Lee stated.
SETON CATHOLIC 69, ZILLAH 65, OT
SETON CATHOLIC (19-6) — Madison Lee 16, CJ Moore 5, Remy Jenniges 10, Tiffany Sheldon 13, Emma Whitehouse 2, Hailey Hammerstrom 0, Riley Seymer 23. Totals 25 (10) September 11 69.
ZILLAH (20-4) — Angelina Buck 10, Callie Robust 0, Addison Johnston 12, Pagie Favilla 0, Alaina Garza 7, Bella Valadez 9, Makenna Klitzke 27. Totals 26 (1) 12-19 65.
Seton 17 18 16 12 6—69
Zillah 13 9 19 22 2—65