By Brian MacKenzie and Taylor Frank

Shaking off a late-season slump, the East Jefferson’s girls’ basketball team won two of their last three conference games to secure fourth place in the Nisqually League and earn the right to host a home playoff game.

With key starters sidelined by injury and illness, the Rivals appeared to lose to Annie Wright Academy in Tacoma on Feb. 1, but after the game, it became clear the private school had to forfeit. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, the body that governs school sports, limits high school athletes to four quarters of basketball per night, and one of Annie Wright’s swing players participated in six quarters between the varsity and JV games.

The forfeit improved EJ’s record to 8-3, and the next day the Rivals traveled to Bellevue Christian to face the Nisqually League’s top team, the undefeated Vikings. The Rivals played and fought hard, but BC’s continued excellence and the heavy toll of injury and illness led to the Vikings vanquishing the Rivals, 63-25. Junior point guard Kay Botkin made two three-pointers and sank two free throws to lead EJ in scoring with eight points.

Now 8-4, the increasingly shorthanded and demoralized Rivals had to play their third road game in three days at 5-9 Klahowya Secondary School. The Silverdale rematch proved anything but easy.

EJ never adjusted, and failed to match the Eagles’ physicality. Worse, the Rivals had to play without two key starters: freshman guard Teri Wiley, lost for the season to a foot injury, and senior post Abbie Liske, who was ill. Limited by a sore ankle, sophomore post Penina Vailolo led the Rivals in scoring with 15 points. Botkin got in foul trouble and had to sit out much of the second quarter, but still produced six points, four steals, and three assists. Sophomore guard Dylin Shockley added 11 points and three assists. Freshman guard Kaetyn Riley contributed six points and four steals.

Klahowya held on and pulled off the upset, winning 44-38. The loss dropped EJ to 8-5 with playoff seeding on the line. Rescheduling contests snowed out in January buried EJ under an avalanche of late-season games. Having just played four opponents in five days, the weary Rivals now turned to face three foes in the final four days of the regular season.

Strengthened by Liske’s return, the Rivals leapt to an early lead in the Feb. 5 rematch against Seattle Christian and kept control to win 43-32.

“We started to regain our team chemistry, and had great ball movement overall,” said Shockley, who scored a team-leading 13 points. “Playing smart and taking risks during games has been a huge deal.”

The next night, 9-5 EJ hosted 5-9 Vashon, also in Chimacum. EJ designated the Feb. 6 rematch as Senior Night, so a packed gym honored Liske, the team’s sole graduating player, before the game. Fans cheered as the Rivals seized an early advantage and maintained it to dispatch the Pirates, 44-36.

EJ’s regular season concluded two nights later in PT, where the 10-5 Rivals hosted 12-3 Annie Wright. Forced to forfeit after beating EJ in Tacoma the previous week, the Gators came to town on Feb. 8 and won for real, 68-33.

Vailolo led the Rivals in scoring (13 points) and rebounds (five), while Botkin managed five steals. Liske blocked five shots and at game’s end thrilled teammates by draining a buzzer-beating three-point shot.

At 10-6, the Rivals finished fourth in the Nisqually League and qualified for the playoffs. 

“Our goal this year was to go to state,” said Botkin, “and even after a couple upsets we are still on track. It’s our first real opportunity as the Rivals. As a team we are excited and ready to represent our community and hopefully bring back some wins.”

Neither Chimacum nor Port Townsend has been to state in several years. The District Three 1A tournament began when EJ hosted a home playoff game in Chimacum against fifth-place Vashon (6-10). The winner will advance to play the first-place Vikings at Foss High School in Tacoma.