WARDEN — The Cougars improved to 16-3 overall and 6-0 in Eastern Washington Athletic Conference (East) games with Friday’s 64-42 win over Columbia (Burbank) on senior night.

Warden senior Lauryn Madsen was honored early in the first quarter for becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer after scoring the first basket of the game.

“It’s a culmination of a lot of hard work for her,” said Warden coach Josh Madsen, Lauryn’s father. “She’s put in the time and the effort, so this was a cool way to celebrate that. She also understands that it doesn’t happen without really good teammates that are willing to share the ball and celebrate with her.”

After the Cougars jumped out to a 17-6 lead by the end of the first quarter, Columbia slowly started to chip away at the Warden lead, eventually cutting it to 23-17 on a three-pointer with 1:30 left in the first half. It was the closest the Coyotes would get to taking down Warden, as the Cougars ended the half with a 29-19 lead.

“They were playing some different defenses on us that took us a little bit to adjust to,” Josh Madsen said. “We had a little bit of foul trouble and had some girls get wrapped up in the emotion of the game instead of just playing. We sort of got rattled, and once we settled down we were okay.”

Warden came out strong in the third quarter, as back-to-back three-pointers by Lauryn Madsen and freshman Makenna Klitzke stretched the Cougar lead to 39-25. Warden broke out its press defense again in the fourth quarter, keeping the Coyotes at bay and riding out to a 64-42 win.

“We got going a little bit offensively, and I think once girls start hitting some shots they relax a little bit,” Josh Madsen said. “All of a sudden maybe we have a little more energy on the defensive end — it’s fun.”

“We focused back on our defense,” Lauryn Madsen said. “We knew we could outscore a team, but it’s our defense that keeps us together and that’s what we rely on.”

The 42 points scored by Columbia were the most that Warden has given up in a league game this season, and the most the Cougars have allowed since Jan. 5 — also against Columbia in a 62-37 win.

“We know they’re tough, they’re gritty, they’re physical, so we talked about matching that intensity,” Josh Madsen said. “Especially on the defensive end. We didn’t execute as well as we hoped at times, got sloppy with the ball, but came out in the third quarter and took care better care of the ball.”

Klitzke led the Cougars with 19 points Friday night, closely followed by Madsen with 17. Senior Molly Sackmann scored eight points, and junior Lauren Chamberlain and freshman Angelina Buck tied with seven points.

“(Klitzke’s) young and still figuring some things out, but she’s really started to come along and come on down the stretch here for us, which is big,” Josh Madsen said. 

While Lauryn Madsen had broken Warden’s scoring record during Tuesday’s 72-19 road win over Walla Walla Valley, the celebration was held off until the Cougars returned to their home floor Friday night. After Madsen scored the game’s opening basket, a timeout was called as teammates gathered on the floor to celebrate.

“Once it happened, all of my emotions hit me because this is what I’ve been working towards since I was a freshman,” Lauryn Madsen said. “I never knew if it was going to be achievable a few years ago when one of my teammates broke it — seeing that number, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get there.”

The previous record was held by 2022 Warden High School graduate Kiana Rios, whose career points stood at 1,574.

“(Rios) was like a role model to me — she wasn’t that much older than me, but I always looked up to her,” Lauryn Madsen said. “Being able to play with her was always so fun for me. Being able to pass her was a cool accomplishment for me.”

Lauryn Madsen will go on to play college basketball at UC Irvine, less than 5 miles from where her older sister Jaryn Madsen plays college basketball at Vanguard University.

“It was the best offer I think I could have received, and being close to my sister — it was a no-brainer that I was going to go there,” Lauryn Madsen said.

Five Cougars were honored during the team’s senior night ceremony before the game; seniors Carina Martinez, Aliza Leinweber, Naydelin Rodriguez, Sackmann and Madsen. Each senior started the game Friday night.

“They’ve been around in the gym with us for a long time,” Josh Madsen said. “It’s always sort of a bittersweet night – lots of emotions, so it’s kind of tough. It’s good to send them out with a win.”

After Saturday’s road game at Tri-Cities Prep, the Cougars close out the regular season Thursday with a road game against River View. 

“We want to see us get better defensively,” Josh Madsen said. “Get a little tougher, get more physical, string together more stops. That’s what we’ve been talking about and trying to focus on.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Box score

CLMB: 6-13-11-11 42

WARD: 17-12-20-15 64

    Warden senior Carina Martinez (5) defends a Columbia (Burbank) player in the first quarter of Friday’s win.
  

    Warden senior Molly Sackmann (20) attempts a shot in the third quarter of Thursday’s 64-42 win over Columbia (Burbank).
  

    Warden freshman Makenna Klitzke (21) looks toward the basket in the first half against Columbia (Burbank).