MOUNT VERNON — For the first time in school history, the four sports teams at Peninsula College have all won region championships.
The Peninsula College women’s basketball team completed the sweep Wednesday night with a hard-fought 80-68 victory at Skagit Valley, and by doing so clinched the No. 1 seed from the Northwest Athletic Conference’s North Region, a first-round home playoff game and no less than a share of the region championship.
The Peninsula men, who claimed the North Region championship Saturday, also prevailed Wednesday, outscoring the Cardinals 78-73.
Following the Pirate soccer teams’ North Region titles in the fall, Peninsula College made it a sweep for the first time in the school’s 54-year sports history.
The first round of the NWAC basketball tournament will include two games in Port Angeles on Saturday, March 5.
The Peninsula women will host the fourth-place finisher from the East Region, most likely Treasure Valley, at 3 p.m. That will be followed by the men’s game matching the Pirates against the fourth-place finisher from the South Region, which appears to be Chemeketa, at 5 p.m.
Both Peninsula basketball teams were undefeated at home in region play.
The new format for this year’s NWAC basketball tournaments starts with a single-elimination first round March 5.
The winners then advance to an eight-team modified double-elimination tournament at Everett Community College.
The women’s tournament begins play Thursday, March 10, while the men start Friday, March 11.
The women’s and men’s championship games are set for Sunday, March 13.
The defending North Region and NWAC champion Peninsula College women, ranked No. 5 in the latest Alaska Airlines NWAC coaches poll, improved to 12-1 in conference play and 21-5 overall with their eighth straight win.
It marks the fourth time in the 19-year history of Peninsula College women’s basketball that a team has won 21 games — and the season is far from over.
The Pirates can clinch sole possession of first place in the North with a win over Shoreline (4-9, 6-16) on the Dolphins’ court at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Peninsula men, who placed fourth in the North Region last year and then went on to capture a third-place trophy in the NWAC tournament, improved to 11-2 in North play with Wednesday’s win and 18-9 overall.
They are also ranked No. 5 in the conference and are currently riding a nine-game winning streak. They close out conference play at 4 p.m. Saturday at Shoreline (5-8, 10-14).
Women’s Game
Peninsula 80, Skagit Valley 68
With the Peninsula men having already clinched the North title, all eyes were on Wednesday’s women’s game in Mount Vernon.
A win by the Cardinals would have created a three-way tie for the conference title, and, due to a tiebreaker number system, would have pushed the Pirates to a No. 3 seed that likely would have involved a first-round playoff road trip to Spokane.
Peninsula, though, would not have it.
The Pirates battled to an 18-14 lead at the end of the first quarter and then outscored the Skagit 22-15 in the second for a 40-29 cushion at halftime — and that was all they needed.
Cierra Moss, Imani Smith and Anaya Rodisha each scored 17 points for Peninsula, and Zhara Laster finished with 12.
Laster also has three assists to break the school’s season steals record. She now has 82. The previous record was 80, held by Trista White since 2003-04.
Emily Yost scored 18 and Jordyn Turner and Jenika Anglim each had 11 for Skagit.
Peninsula holds a one-game lead in the North over Bellevue (11-2, 21-5). The two teams split their North Region series with one win apiece, but the Pirates win the tiebreaker because the swept their series with Skagit, while the Bulldogs and Cardinals split their two games.
Men’s Game
Peninsula 78, Skagit Valley 73
Despite clinching the region title, coach Mitch Freeman and his staff did not want the Pirates to take their foot off the gas pedal.
Peninsula went up 33-31 at the half and then outscored the Cardinals 45-42 in the second half to win by five.
Ryley Callaghan led the Pirates with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Dimitri Amos and Jeremiah Hobbs each recorded double-doubles for Peninsula. Amos had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Hobbs finished with 10 points and 10 boards.
Tyler Kidd led the Cardinals with 22 and Steve Shpreyregin had 15.
