COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (19-6) girls basketball team found success on the court this season as they made a late push into the postseason. The Warriors drove all the way to the Round of 12 before falling to Lummi Nation. 

“Finishing the season with a game like that, an overtime loss where we’re competing every single second, it can’t get better than that,” said Warriors Head Coach Nikki Strock. “Everyone gave everything, that’s all you can ask for.” 

The Warriors went undefeated in the regular season against league opponents, which boosted them into the postseason. ACH went on to take second in District 6 after falling to Garfield-Palouse in the district championships.  

Entering state as the ninth seed, the Warriors earned a first-round bye and in the second round of the tournament, claimed a convincing 53-41 victory over the 16th seed Muckleshoot Tribal. The Warriors were eliminated in the round of 12 after a 48-56 overtime loss to Lummi Nation. 

“Lummi is a very talented team, they’re very fast, they have intense ball pressure, and they competed with Neah Bay twice this season, losing by two points and four points to the best team in the state,” said Strock. “We knew we were going to have our hands full.” 

One of the struggles that the coach notices very early on in the season was that the players seemed to be afraid to be aggressive on the court, and she pushed the players to understand that being competitive isn’t being mean, it’s just pushing to improve. 

With each passing week of basketball, the coach said ACH grew more comfortable on the court. 

“We ended the season on the complete opposite (spectrum) where we finished the season with our best game, even though it was a loss,” said Strock. “We competed every second of that game.” 

She said every single girl on the roster stepped up and played their roles perfectly in their season’s final game as they pushed one of the top six teams in the state to the limit in the Round of 12. 

“I don’t know how I’m going to be able to top that one off. When you’re a kid, a loser out game, in the arena, (in) overtime, that is what you dream of,” said Strock. “I told the girls, ‘Don’t hang your head one single second because not many people get an opportunity like this.’ Even though it didn’t end the way that we wanted, they fought so hard, and they were close to one of the best teams in the state, so it was a win in my books.” 

The success of this season was highlighted through the efforts of the four seniors, Naomi Molitor, Emma Brummett, Peyton Roberts and Emily Evers.  

The coach said Molitor was a threat both offensively and defensively this season and gave her all in every matchup. Roberts was another who was important on both sides of the court and showed great improvement throughout the season. 

Brummett and Evers played key roles when they came off the bench, giving other players a chance to breathe while holding their own both offensively and defensively. 

Strock said each of the seniors set a standard for the Warriors moving forward, with players finding out what they excel in and utilizing those abilities to assist the rest of the team. With a strong group of sophomore and junior players set to return next season, the focus for the team is going to be continuing to trust in one another.

    ACH senior Naomi Molitor dribbles the ball while looking for an opening during the state tourney.
  

    Grace Okamoto, a junior from ACH, prepares to shoot for three with the referee and opposing audience watching.
  

    Warriors senior Peyton Roberts (45) stands with her hands at her side next to the opposing Blackhawks sophomore Celestine James (34) as they await the ball being put back into play.
  

    The ACH bench watches as their teammates compete against Lummi Nation during the Round of 12 at the state tourney.