The two teams did not bring their state trophies to the gym, but they did attract a lot of fans, including former players who won state championships.
Even if it is a new season, with new players in new roles, it is still a big deal when Prairie and Skyview get together for a girls basketball game.
Friday night, it was the first time they were on the same floor since both programs won state championships at the Tacoma Dome, just hours apart, last winter.
Now well into the 2012-13 regular season, Prairie still looks to have some of that championship form.
Senior Cori Woodward scored 19 points, two freshmen reached double figures, and the Falcons scored 72 points over the final three quarters to beat Skyview 76-52 at Prairie High School. The Falcons improved to 9-0.
Prairie was 19 of 26 from the floor and connected on eight 3 pointers in a 52-point second half, turning a one-point deficit into a runaway.
“I love these games because the stands are full. It’s been a big rivalry since Ashley played here,” Woodward said.
That would be former state player of the year Ashley Corral, a Prairie grad. Yep, she was there, too. So were three members of Skyview’s 4A state title team, now in college. And a starter from Prairie’s 3A title team was in town from New Mexico.
“Skyview did great, too. I didn’t expect it to be easy, and it wasn’t,” Woodward said.
In fact, the Storm held Prairie to four first-quarter points.
Aubrey Ward-El had 16 of her game-high 27 points in the first half, as the Storm took a 25-24 lead into the break.
But then it was all Prairie.
Woodward had eight of her points in the third quarter, and senior Megan Lindsley scored 10 of her 12 in the second half.
Then there was the duo of freshman Falcons who got a chance to show off their skills.
Aislinn Konig made all three of her 3-pointers and scored 14 points. Cherita Daugherty was 4 for 4 from the floor and had 11 points.
“I’ve been watching them play since the fifth grade,” Daugherty said of the rivalry. “I always wanted to play with this team. I’m just glad I’m able to play with them as a freshman.”
Konig moved to Prairie from Canada between school years. So she really has no frame of reference for the rivalry. It’s still basketball, though.
“I should just help win it for my teammates. It’s important to them,” Konig said with a smile.
There were no smiles from Prairie after that first quarter.
“We were all really disappointed with how we were playing,” Konig said.
A 20-point second quarter brought the Falcons close. There weren’t many words at halftime.
“It was kind of an awkward silence,” Konig said. “Everybody knows we weren’t doing enough. Coach just said we knew this wasn’t going to be easy. We were going to have to fight it through.”
Prairie coach Mike Smith is now 1-0 against this county rival. Skyview beat Prairie last season, the first time the Storm had even topped the Falcons.
“Our defensive pressure just weighs people down,” Smith said. “I really didn’t look at the scoreboard until we were up by 20. ‘Oh my goodness.’ “
The Falcons made 11 of 14 shots in the third quarter, then buried 8 of 12 in the fourth. Guess they worked it out — with some senior leadership and some new talent, too.
“We have the best freshmen around,” Woodward said. “I’m so blessed to have them on my team.”
Skyview, which has just two of its eight-player rotation from the title game playing this season, fell to 3-4.
“We’re young and inexperienced. We’re figuring it out,” Skyview coach Jennifer Buscher said. “We’re proud of how hard our kids played in the first half. We’ll build on it.”
PRAIRIE 76, SKYVIEW 52
SKYVIEW — Stephanie McDonagh 9, Aubrey Ward-El 27, Cassie Swartz 2, Gen Lo 2, Meggan Rakoz 2, Neesen Bristow 4, Hannahjoy Adams 3, Tiana Klutz 3, Marissa Wellington 0. Totals 18-65 (3-28) 13-19 52.
PRAIRIE — Lindsey Asplund 2, Cori Woodward 19, Aislinn Konig 14, Jamie Phares 6, Nicole Geocke 5, Emily Peters 5, Megan Lindsley 12, Rachel Deaton 0, Cherita Daugherty 11, Kaitlyn Sitton 2. Totals 26-47 (10-27) 14-22 76.
Skyview 11 14 17 10–52
Prairie 4 20 26 26–76
JV — Prairie won.
