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Prairie girls basketball team seeks return to dome

Falcons have not played at Tacoma Dome since 2012

By Paul Valencia, Columbian High School Sports Reporter

Published: February 26, 2015, 12:00am

Lindsay Asplund of Prairie High School holds the ball as Megan Bloom of Coulmbia River looms behind her at a basketball game in Vancouver Tuesday January 13, 2015. (Natalie Behring/The Columbian)

This week, we celebrate the teams from Clark County that have made it to state basketball tournaments.

This is a three-day series, during which we’ll have small stories on all nine teams that are still playing this weekend.

By Saturday night, we will know who is going to the quarterfinals, which teams will be advancing to the final destinations.

For 4A and 3A teams, that would be the Tacoma Dome.

For 1A teams, that would be mean a trip to the Yakima SunDome.

Wednesday, we featured the three boys teams from the 4A and 3A ranks: Camas, Columbia River, and Union.

Thursday, we feature the three girls teams from the 4A and 3A ranks: Camas, Prairie, and Skyview.

Friday, we go small-school, with three stories from the 1A ranks: King’s Way Christian boys, La Center boys, and La Center girls.

The Columbian plans to send reporters to all nine games Friday and Saturday.

It must feel like it has been forever for the Prairie girls basketball team. Forever since the team played in the Tacoma Dome.

Prairie’s streak of making it to the state round of 16 is secure. The Falcons have accomplished that 18 conseuctive years. But nowadays, a team must make the quarterfinals to get to the dome. Prairie has not done that since 2012. For some programs, that might not seem too long. This is not “some” program.

“I think we’re all really hungry for it,” senior Lindsay Asplund said. “That’s the goal. That’s been the goal all season, to win this game we have on Saturday.”

Prairie will face Juanita at 4 p.m. at Bothell High School in the first round of the Class 3A state girls basketball tournament. The winner goes to the dome.

“Last year, when we lost this game, we saw how much it hurt Nicole (Goecke),” said Emily Peters, referring to the team’s leader last season. “We owe it to her to get there. We owe it to ourselves to get there.”

“I want to experience playing in the dome,” added senior Jamie Phares, who was not on varsity when Prairie won the state title in 2012.

Asplund, Peters, and Phares are the senior starters. They set the example for the younger players. After being there for so long, they understand how Prairie succeeds.

“Our defense is what the program is based off of,” Asplund said. “It’s always been. You go as hard as you can on defense. If our defense is good, our offense will come.”

Asplund and Phares, two speedy athletes who never seem to run out of gas, are used to trap opposing ballhandlers.

Peters, on the other hand, gets the tough assignment as the inside stopper. She is the team’s post — a 5-10 post.

This week, we celebrate the teams from Clark County that have made it to state basketball tournaments.

This is a three-day series, during which we'll have small stories on all nine teams that are still playing this weekend.

By Saturday night, we will know who is going to the quarterfinals, which teams will be advancing to the final destinations.

For 4A and 3A teams, that would be the Tacoma Dome.

For 1A teams, that would be mean a trip to the Yakima SunDome.

Wednesday, we featured the three boys teams from the 4A and 3A ranks: Camas, Columbia River, and Union.

Thursday, we feature the three girls teams from the 4A and 3A ranks: Camas, Prairie, and Skyview.

Friday, we go small-school, with three stories from the 1A ranks: King's Way Christian boys, La Center boys, and La Center girls.

The Columbian plans to send reporters to all nine games Friday and Saturday.

“I’ve been a post all my life. It’s second nature to me,” Peters said.

Being a short post just means she has to play smarter.

“It’s rough, but we make it work,” Peters said.

Senior leadership and defense. That works.

The Falcons need one win for everything to work out — to get to the dome.

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