Lakeridge girls win, West Linn third in culminating week tourneys
The 2021 high school girls basketball season was everything but normal and predictable.
From the season's tenuous nature to its late start to its shortened six-week duration, everything about 2021 was fast, uncertain and challenging.
And while 2021 did not end with traditional OSAA-sanctioned state tournaments, there was some great competition in the season's last week, that thanks to the four culminating week brackets that brought together 32 of the state's best Class 5A and 6A teams.
Below, see all the results from the local teams in those brackets.
Clackamas
Overall record: 11-5
League record: 10-1 (1st)
Coach: Korey Landolt
Seniors: Bella Garcia, Sydney Benedict, Madi Standley, Maddie Tacheny
Synopsis: The Cavaliers may not have finished the 2021 season the way they wanted to, but they did almost everything else right this year. Clackamas ripped off seven wins to open the season and took nine of their first 10 contests. Then, facing some of the state's best teams in the Blue bracket of the culminating week tournaments, the Cavaliers dropped their final three contests, falling short against Sheldon (72-66), Beaverton (55-26) and Jesuit (63-55).
Lakeridge
Overall record: 13-2
League record: 10-2 (3rd)
Coach: Jason Brown
Seniors: Keely Lipp, Rose Daniels, Emma Jeanson, Emma Krauss, Addie Reardon, Emily Paulson, Lily McGinley, Payton Brintnall
Synopsis: The Pacers made 2021 the culmination of the four-rebuilding project that began after the team's 1-23 season in 2017. They won six of their first seven games, handed Three Rivers League champion Tualatin its lone league loss and ended the year with seven straight wins. Included in that stretch were three more "W"s in the White bracket of the culminating week tournaments, including a 55-48 victory over Barlow in the bracket championship.
Milwaukie
Overall record: 6-10
League record: 4-3 (4th)
Coach: Michael White
Seniors: Audiel Phelps, Jaydyn Tuel, Zoe Wood, Emmaly Welch
Synopsis: The Mustangs made themselves part of the conversation this year, beating both La Salle and Wilsonville in Northwest Oregon Conference play, and adding wins over Class 6A teams Central Catholic and Lincoln. Milwaukie ended its year in the Orange bracket of the culminating week tournaments, beating Lincoln in its opener before falling to both Canby and Oregon City.
Oregon City
Overall record: 7-8
League record: 5-7 (4th)
Coach: Tiffani Traver
Seniors: Hannah Parulski
Synopsis: The youthful Pioneers — their team featured just one senior — saved some of their best for last in the 2021 season, earning a spot in the Orange bracket of the culminating week tournaments, then winning two of their three games there. After going 5-7 over the course of the year, Oregon City stepped up to sandwich wins over Cleveland and Milwaukie around an Orange bracket loss to Westview at Roosevelt High School.
West Linn
Overall record: 12-4
League record: 10-1 (2nd)
Coach: Brooke Cates
Seniors: Cami Fulcher, Olivia McVicker, Payton Shelstad, Aaronette Vonleh
Synopsis: The Lions battled the best all year long and proved that they belonged. They handed talented Lakeridge both of its losses, gave Three Rivers League champion Tualatin one of its three losses, and saw two of its three losses come against Maroon bracket champion South Medford. West Linn ended the year with two wins in the Maroon bracket of the culminating week tournaments, including a 65-27 rout of Tualatin in its season finale.
Wilsonville
Overall record: 11-5
League record: 5-1 (2nd)
Coach: Justin Duke
Seniors: Ellie Grano, Maura Schramm, Keira McNamee, Sydney Burns, Emilia Bishop
Synopsis: The Wildcats were as hot as could be at the start of the season, opening 2021 with eight wins in their first nine games. And while Wilsonville went just 3-4 over the season's final 15 days, the Cats finished the year right where they wanted to be — playing the state's best teams. Competing in the Maroon bracket of the culminating week tournaments, Wilsonville beat Jesuit while falling to South Medford and Beaverton.
Maroon Bracket
Tuesday, Jan. 22, results:
West Linn 43, Jesuit 39 (OT)
South Medford 74, Wilsonville 58
Sheldon 72, Clackamas 66
Wednesday, Jan. 23, results:
South Medford 59, West Linn 47
Wilsonville 65, Jesuit 61
Beaverton 55, Clackamas 26
Thursday, Jan. 24, results:
West Linn 65, Tualatin 27
Beaverton 56, Wilsonville 49
Jesuit 63, Clackamas 55
Orange Bracket
Tuesday, Jan. 22, results:
Oregon City 65, Cleveland 44
Milwaukie 49, Lincoln 37
Wednesday, Jan. 23, results:
Westview 49, Oregon City 33
Canby 78, Milwaukie 68
Thursday, Jan. 24, results:
Oregon City 66, Milwaukie 22
White Bracket
Tuesday, Jan. 22, results:
Lakeridge 58, Mountainside 43
Wednesday, Jan. 23, results:
Lakeridge 58, McNary 52
Thursday, Jan. 24, results:
Lakeridge 55, Barlow 48
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