Third's a charm for Knights basketball teams

YAKIMA – Already the preeminent football program in the state, Royal is extending its winning season through the winter.

The third-seeded Knights boys on Saturday finished third in the Class 1A state tournament in the Yakima Valley SunDome, and a couple hours later, the girls – seeded fifth – matched that, toppling powerful Lynden Christian, the second seed.

It’s the first time in 50 years that the boys have trophied in back-to-back tournaments, while the girls – making their first state trip in 25 years – claimed their first hardware since 1996.

And if the senior-light rosters are any hint, Royal High School athletic director Cody Miller might have to take bids on expanding the Knights’ trophy case.

“Each summer we’re trying to change the culture of the basketball program,” said SCAC MVP Grant Wardenaar, a junior who also quarterbacked Royal to its sixth straight football championship in December. “My goal by the end of high school is to win state. This year we came up short but we got a good group coming back.”

Led by the lefty Wardenaar’s 21 points, the boys (24-5) avenged their round-of-16 loss to King’s, 64-49, in another matchup of Knights.

A slow offensive start – 32% shooting – left Royal with a four-point deficit at halftime. After the break, the SCAC runner-up came out firing and connecting.

“We played good in the first half defensively, we were playing hard, we just weren’t making shots,” Royal coach Tim Ravet said. “We got spread out and got easier looks in the second half, and kind of wore them down.”

Shooting at a 67% clip after the break, Royal turned the deficit into a one-point lead heading into the fourth, and then pulled away.

Junior Manny Ruvalcaba sank all three 3-pointers he took and had 11 pints, and fellow 11th-grader Dax Jenks totaled 10 points and six rebounds.

With the game well in hand, Royal was able to sub in senior Bryan Larsen, and run a back screen lob for him, which he turned into a three-point play.

“That was super sweet, everybody loves Bryan, he always has a smile on his face,” Wardenaar said.

Things started slowly for the Knights girls (23-5), as in a repeat of the one-point first quarter they had in Friday’s semifinal loss to No. 1 King’s.

“I thought. 'Surely this can’t happen to us two days in a row,'” Royal coach Farrah Wardenaar said, picking from her hair the remnants of the silly-string assault she suffered entering the postgame celebration.

Not to worry, coach. This time the offensive revved up in the second quarter, and trailed by just three – 20-17 – going into halftime. The deficit remained the same going into the fourth, when the Knights were able surge past and take down the Lyncs, who have won 14 state championships.

“That’s kind of like beating Royal football,” Knights coach Farrah Wardenaar said. “That’s what’s so unique about these guys, they’ve got no idea (what they just did).”

Freshman Lauren Wardenaar scored a team-high 18 points for the Knights, and junior Graycie Kast scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds before fouling out.