Meadow Heights achieves first of many goals for year

DELTA -- The Meadow Heights girls basketball players own special-made white T-shirts that read, "40-38, unfinished business," on the back.

It refers to their two-point loss to St. Vincent in last year's district title game.

Meadow Heights, a team with multiple goals this year, including winning a district title, has been taking care of business so far with a strong start. And it reached a nice milestone by winning a tournament title game Saturday for the first time in the program's four-year existence.

Seniors Chelsey Kight and Ashley Doublin, the only two seniors on the team and members of the varsity squad since it was launched, led the No. 1 Panthers to a 59-44 win over No. 6 Valle Catholic in the title game of the Delta New Year's Tournament.

Kight poured in a game-high 17 points. Doublin netted 11 points, including seven points in the third quarter when Valle staged a comeback.

"It's pretty amazing," Kight said. "I knew we could do it, but it's just sinking in now. It's pretty cool. ... When we started the program, we had girls who wanted to play, but talent-wise, it wasn't really there for anybody. We just keep getting more girls who practice and we just keep getting a lot better. It keeps getting better every year."

Kight said winning the tournament has been the best moment of her high school career. Doublin also put the tournament win at the top of her list.

"My freshman year and sophomore year we got the consolation, and then last year we got third, and for this year to get first, it feels amazing," Doublin said. "And to play with a group of girls who want to play and want to win helps and makes you feel better."

Meadow Heights received a bye in the first round as the top seed, then beat No. 5 St. Vincent 52-31 in the semifinals Wednesday to earn a spot in the championship game.

The Panthers, who never have had a winning season, improved to 8-3 with the victory. Meadow Heights is now just two wins shy of tying its largest win total (10) in the program's brief history, a mark that was set last winter.

The Panthers came close to winning their first tournament earlier this year when they lost to St. James, which is ranked fourth in Class 4, by nine points in the championship game of the Potosi tournament.

"We kind of used that experience to move forward," said Meadow Heights coach Mitch Nanney, who has been the coach since the program start. "We've been to the district title game the past couple years. We just haven't gotten that one win. Now we finally get that one win. I'm real proud for the program."

Meadow Heights' three losses this year all have been to Class 4 schools -- St. James, Miller Career Academy and North County. The Panthers regrouped to beat North County the second time they played it, winning by 21 points, in the rematch this week.

Panthers players said they have goals of earning their first winning season, capturing a district title and playing in the Class 2 final four.

"I think it's very possible that we'll go to state," Kight said. "We can't get a big head and think that we're already there."

Meadow Heights jumped out to a 17-9 lead on Valle after one quarter. The Panthers did a nice job early of forcing turnovers and scoring baskets in transition.

Sophomore Heather Dietiker, who had 16 points, scored eight in the opening period.

"We just got into the passing lanes of the opponent and we just took off," Dietiker said.

The Panthers led 34-26 with less than 3 minutes remaining in the third quarter. That's when Doublin helped her team start to pull away for good.

Doublin banked a 3-pointer to put her team ahead 37-26.

"I wasn't for sure it would go in at first because it was going to hit the backboard," Doublin said. "When it went in, I felt good and knew that was building up the momentum and we were going to take off then."

In other tournament action, Delta's Jodi Menz scored 19 points to lead the the No. 2 Bobcats to third place over No. 5 St. Vincent 43-32.

Menz netted three 3-pointers. Taylor Smith added 13 points for Delta.

Amanda Wengert led St. Vincent with 12 points.

Taylor Steckman scored 14 points to lead No. 4 Woodland past No. 3 Oran 42-39 in the consolation final.

Cheyanne King led Oran with 19 points.

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Meadow Heights 59, Valle Catholic 44

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Valle Catholic9111113--44

Meadow Heights17111516-- 59

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:VALLE CATHOLIC (44) -- Megan Basler 2, Kara Figge 4, Hannah Kuenzel 14, Kelsey Abt 10, Kelly Hermann 9. FG 17, FT 9-21, F 14. (3-pointers: Fallert 1)

MEADOW HEIGHTS (59) -- Hattie Cook 1, Gina Cureton 7, Ashley Doublin 11, Heather Dietiker 16, Whitney Welker 2, Jillian Mills 3, Brooke Sander 2, Chelsey Kight 17. FG 23, FT 10-18, F 19. (3-pointers: Dietiker 2, Doublin 1)

------

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Delta 43, St. Vincent 32

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Delta615913--43

St. Vincent68810--32

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:DELTA (43) -- Taylor Smith 13, Katie Brucker 2, Kendra Burnett 3, Jodi Menz 19, Sam Bartels 4, Courtney Burton 2. FG 16, FT 8-10, F 15. (3-pointers: Menz 3. Fouled out: None)

ST. VINCENT (32) -- Courtney Besand 8, Lindsey Wehmeyer 4, Amanda Wengert 12, Anne Steele 2, Valerie Finger 4, Briana Burroughs. FG 13, FT 6-13, F 14. (3-pointers: None. Fouled out: None)

------

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Woodland 42, Oran 39

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Woodland147129--42

Oran2151210--39

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:WOODLAND (42) -- Kaitlin McCormick 6, Ashley Acup 2, Taylor Steckman 14, Lacey Moore 2, Lauren Johnson 9, Becky Brannon 9. FG 13, FT 14-24, F 15. (3-pointers: Steckman 1, Brannon 1. Fouled out: none)

ORAN (39) -- Abbey Anderson 2, Claire Seyer 2, Shelby Unger 1, Taylor Tenkhoff 4, Kirstie Mangels 5, Taylor Irwin 2, Cheyanne King 19, Amanda Williams 4. FG 15, FT 8-14, F x. (3-pointers: Mangels 1. Fouled out: none)