[Article by contributing sports writer Rhett Workman, who also owns www.snoqualmievalleysportsjournal.com]
Well, this week is shaping up to be a special week perhaps for Mount Si High School’s boys’ basketball team, as it will hit the Tacoma Dome court at the state 4A high school boys’ basketball tournament, the first time they’ve been at state since the 2006 3A event, also at the building that is commonly known as “The Woodshed” as the roof of the dome, built back in 1983, is made of wood.
So now it’s off to the Dome and a chance for Mount Si’s first state basketball crown in over 40 years, having last won it all the way back in 1977.
What to look for: First things first, the Wildcats do not know who they will play in their quarterfinal game on Thursday, but they know when it will be – 9:00 am. Yes, 9:00 in the morning, quite early, and yes, they’re missing school – along with probably many of their fellow MSHS students who will be there at the game cheering them on. The opponent will be determined Wednesday. Puyallup and Jackson play a first-round loser-out game also at 9:00am to determine who will meet the Wildcats. Jackson is the team that Mount Si beat last week in the Wes-King 4A district final, and Puyallup, you will remember, eliminated the Wildcat football team in the state playoffs last fall.
If you go, admission is $15 adults and $12 for MSHS students with ASB cards and seniors age 62 and over. Tickets will be available at the Dome when you arrive and also are expected to be available online (go to the WIAA website, www.wiaa.com and click on the Tournament Central page for basketball for more information).
Junior Jabe Mullins is not only leading the team in scoring, he’s setting an example off it, too. He’s averaging 20 points a game, but coach Jason Griffith noted on Twitter this week Mullins has a nearly 4.0 grade point average, and we’d beg a guess many of his teammates are also high-achieving students as well, so they are not only great players on the court, but they are solid representatives for the school and our community.
If you can’t go, there will be a live webstream of the game at www.nfhsnetwork.com, but you will have to register for a free account on the site and pay $10 to view the game. The fee will cover 30 days of access, meaning additional games Mount Si could play in the tournament, which could last through Saturday, will be covered for this same fee.
We wish Mount Si good luck this week inside the Dome. Go Wildcats from all of us here at Living Snoqualmie!
