District 5 tournament No. 1 seed and top-ranked Zillah is headed back to the Class 1A state tournament.
The Leopards built a 13-point lead by the end of the first quarter and cruised to a 75-56 victory against fourth-seeded Cashmere in a District 5 semifinal Friday night at Zillah Alumni Gymnasium.
Dekker Van De Graaf topped four Zillah players in double figures with 17 points. Budda Aranda had 13 for the Leopards (22-0), Jayden Saenz added 11 and Memphis Jones 11.
Figuring they’ll be among the state tournament’s top seeds, Zillah will head to the Yakima Valley SunDome for the 12th straight tournament. The Leopards won the championship in four of those trips, the last three under coach Mario Mengarelli.
Next up for the Zillah is second-seeded Royal, which rolled past No. 3 Chelan 81-59. The championship game is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20.
The third-ranked Knights (21-2) will be making their third straight trip to the state tournament for the first time in school history.
SCAC-leading scorer Grant Wardenaar scored 20 points and freshman Graham Palmer knocked down four 3-pointers and finished with 18.
The Leopards and Knights have become quick rivals in the nine-team SCAC. They split four matchups last season, with each winning at home in the regular season before Royal won the district championship while Zillah won the state matchup for third and fifth place.
After the Leopards won the first matchup this season by 20, they needed all they could muster for a victory at Royal, including the heroics of X Castilleja, whose steal and 3-pointer with less than a second left lifted Zillah to an 88-84 victory.
Wayatama Fiander scored 20 points to lead sixth-seeded Wapato (13-10) past Wahluke (10-13) in an elimination game. The Wolves will visit Cashmere on Feb. 17 in another loser-out contest.
Also staying alive was No. 5 Connell, which rolled past eighth-seeded Omak (6-15). The Eagles (15-8) travel to Chelan on Feb. 17 in another elimination contest.
CWAC
BOYS
WENESDAY’S GAMES
Game No. 1: No. 8 Quincy 61, No. 5 Toppenish 52 (loser out)
Game No. 2: No. 6 Othello 81, No. 7 East Valley 75 (loser out)
Game No. 3: No. 1 Selah 66, No. 4 Ellensburg 38
Game No. 4: No. 2 Grandview 71, No. 3 Prosser 49
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Game No. 5: No. 8 Quincy at No. 4 Ellensburg (loser out)
Game No. 6: No. 6 Othello at No. 3 Prosser (loser out)
FEB. 17 GAMES
Game No. 7: Winner No. 5 at No. 2 Grandview, 6 p.m.
Game No. 8: Winner No. 6 at No. 1 Selah, 6 p.m.
FEB. 19 GAMES
At Higher Seed
Game No. 9: Winner No. 7 vs. Winner No. 8, 6 p.m. (championship, both to state)
Game No. 10: Loser No. 8 vs. Loser No. 7, 6 p.m. (winner to District 5/1 crossover, loser out)
GIRLS
TUESDAY’S GAMES
Game No. 1: No. 5 Toppenish 48, No. 8 Othello 31 (loser out)
Game No. 2: No. 6 East Valley 58, No. 7 Quincy 51 (loser out)
Game No. 3: No. 1 Prosser 74, No. 4 Grandview 52
Game No. 4: No. 2 Ellensburg 63, No. 3 Selah 44
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Game No. 5: No. 4 Grandview 66, No. 5 Toppenish 53 (loser out)
Game No. 6: No. 3 Selah 48, No. 6 East Valley 36 (loser out)
MONDAY’S GAMES
Game No. 7: No. 4 Grandview at No. 2 Ellensburg, 6 p.m.
Game No. 8: No. 3 at No. 1 Prosser, 6 p.m.
FEB. 18 GAMES
At Higher Seed
Game No. 9: Winner No. 7 vs. Winner No. 8, 6 p.m. (championship, both to state)
Game No. 10: Loser No. 8 vs. Loser No. 7, 6 p.m. (winner to District 5/1 crossover, loser out)
CLASS 1A
BOYS
TUESDAY’S GAMES
Game No. 1: No. 3 Chelan 72, No. 6 Wapato 58
Game No. 2: No. 2 Royal 89, No. 7 Wahluke 54
Game No. 3: No. 4 Cashmere 67, No, 5 Connell 58
Game No. 4: No. 1 Zillah 91, No. 8 Omak 32
FRIDAY’S GAMES
At Higher Seeds
Game No. 5: No. 6 Wapato 60, No. 7 Wahluke 52 (loser out)
Game No. 6: No. 5 Connell 80, No. 8 Omak 40 (loser out)
Game No. 7: No. 2 Royal 81, No. 3 Chelan 59
Game No. 8: No. 1 Zillah 75, No. 4 Cashmere 56
FEB. 17 GAMES
Game No. 9: No. 6 Wapato at No. 4 Cashmere, 6 p.m. (loser out)
Game No. 10: No. 5 Connell at No. 3 Chelan, 6 p.m. (loser out)
FEB. 19 GAME
Game No. 11: Winner No. 9 vs. Winner No. 10, 6 p.m. (both to District 5/6 crossover)
FEB. 20 GAME
At Toppenish
Game No. 12: No. 2 Royal vs. No. 1 Zillah, 7 p.m. (championship, both to state)
GIRLS
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Game 1: No. 3 Wapato 57, No. 6 Naches Valley 46
Game 2: No. 2 Royal 74, No. 8 Omak 30
Game 3: No. 4 Cashmere 38, No. 5 Cascade (Leavenworth) 32
Game 4: No. 1 ZIllah 69, No. 8 Kiona-Benton 21
SATURDAY’S GAMES
At Higher Seeds
Game 5: No. 7 Omak at No. 6 Naches Valley, 2 p.m. (loser out)
Game 6: No. 8 Kiona-Benton at No. 5 Cascade (Leavenworth), 3 p.m. (loser out)
Game 7: No. 3 Wapato at No. 2 Royal, 4 p.m.
Game 8: No. 4 Cashmere at No. 1 Zillah, 6 p.m.
FEB. 17 GAMES
Game 9: Winner No. 5 vs. Loser No. 8, 6 p.m. (loser out)
Game 10: Winner No. 6 vs. Loser No. 7, 6 p.m. (loser out)
FEB. 19 GAME
Game 11: Winner No. 9 vs. Winner No. 10, 6 p.m. (both to District 5/6 crossover)
FEB. 20 GAME
At Toppenish
Game 12: Winner No. 7 vs. Winner No. 8, 5 p.m. (championship, both to state)
