MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — The Neah Bay girls basketball team is back at state for the sixth year in a row.
The Red Devils already are one of the top eight 1B teams in state as they pounded Grace Academy 64-26, the second time they have dominated Grace in the past two weeks, in the regionals Saturday night at Mountlake Terrace High School.
There was no question early who was going to win this game as the Red Devils took 20-8 first-quarter and 40-10 halftime leads.
Neah Bay, a perfect 20-0 during a phenomenal season, will open state Thursday against defending champion Colton at 3:45 p.m. in the first round at Spokane Arena.
Tournament officials must have a sick sense of humor because the Red Devils lost to Colton 67-34 in the first round last year.
Colton was the only team to beat Neah Bay, which captured fourth place in Spokane, its best finish at state in history.
Colton is 23-0 going into the tourney.
The Red Devils tuned up for the defending champs by easily getting by Grace Academy.
Everyone played, and all but one scored, for Neah Bay as Courtney Winck and Cherish Moss shared scoring honors with 14 points each.
Cierra Moss added 12 while Winck led on the boards with five rebounds.
Cherish Moss was a terror for Grace Academy on the floor as she ended up with 10 steals. Cierra Moss, meanwhile, had a game-high five assists.
Both the Neah Bay boys and girls teams qualified for the 1B state tournaments.
The Red Devil boys open state play Thursday against Mount Rainier Lutheran at 10:30 a.m. at Spokane Arena.
Last year, Mount Rainier Lutheran went two-and-out at state.
1B Regionals
Neah Bay 64, Grace Academy 26
Grace Academy 8 2 6 10— 26
Neah Bay 20 20 15 9— 64
Individual scoring
Grace Academy (26)
Emme 2, J. Bethume 2, Thompson 8, A. Bethume 4, Holt 2, Tuttle 3, Young 2, Yerine 4.
Neah Bay (64)
Greene 1, Hahn 2, Thompson 6, Tyler 7, Winck 14, Ch. Moss 14, Ci. Moss 12, Chartraw 4, Hill 4.
