Lyncs hit the boards, end Zillah's perfect pursuit

YAKIMA – Zillah boys basketball coach Mario Mengarelli crouched against outside the Leopards locker room, head in his hands, weary from what had just happened in the Class 1A state championship game.

For a rare time in his 10-year stint leading the Leopards and the only time this season, he and the Leopards had no answer.

Second-seeded Lynden Christian crashed the offensive glass mercilessly and clamped down on Zillah star senior Dekker Van De Graaf, ending the Leopards’ perfect season.

The Lyncs turned the showdown into a showcase, capturing their ninth state title with a 61-42 victory Saturday nigh in the Yakima Valley SunDome.

“They were big, strong and very physical on the glass, even when we tried to block out, we got shoved around,” Mengarelli said. “I just tell my guys we got to learn from that and hit the weight room.”

Lynden Christian pulled down 12 offensive rebounds in the first half, and repeated the feat after intermission. The Lyncs’ 24 offensive rebounds were as many boards as Zillah totaled at either end.

The Leopards lost the rebound battle 50-24.

“All year we’ve been saying, ‘If we don’t shoot well, let’s pound the glass,’” Lynden Christian coach Tum Zylstra said. “Tonight, it all culminated, everybody was tough on the glass tonight.”

LC shot better than Zillah, but not by enough to run away with the victory.

It was those extra opportunities that did in the Leopards, who fell to 26-1.

“Sometimes you don’t need out-of-this-world performances, just do the things that got you here,” Zylstra said.

Kaden Veldman and Boyce Robertson, an all-state receiver on the Lyncs state semifinal football team, led the assault on the boards, grabbing 11 (five offensive) and 10 (eight offensive), respectively.

Tournament MVP Dawson Hintz scored a game-high 18 points for LC, backcourt mate Gunner Dykstra had 15, Robertson added 13 and Veldman 10.

Zillah’s off night started in warm-ups when two-time SCAC MVP Dekker Van De Graaf, who had 34 points and 12 rebounds in Friday’s semifinal win against Royal, tweaked his ankle. His foot later was stepped on during the game.

Van De Graaf had just four points.

Budda Aranda scored 17 points, Jayden Saenz add 10 for the Leopards, who shot less than 33% for the game and never led.

“We just didn’t have it tonight.,” Mengarelli said.

Saturday’s game was the high school finale for five Leopards seniors, including Van De Graaf, Saenz and Memphis Jones.

Zillah was in the semifinals for the third straight year, and aiming for its fourth championship under Mengarelli.

“Wins and losses are going to take care of themselves, but when I can get a group of 23 people in there that become a family, that’s pretty special,” Mengarelli said.

Lynden Christian finished the season 26-1, its lone loss a four-point defeat at 4A Lake Stevens.

Dykstra (first team) and Veldman (second team) joined Hintz on the all-tournament team, while Van De Graaf (first team) and Aranda (second team) made it for Zillah.