By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Last night, the Seattle Prep Panthers and the Lakeside Lions played at Bellevue College in the 3A District 2 girls’ championship game. While both teams will advance to the 3A state championship tournament next week, the coveted District 2 championship trophy and seedings for the state tournament were on the line.
In the opening quarter, Seattle Prep’s Addy Jack opened the game with a three-point shot that electrified the crowd. Lakeside’s first-quarter points primarily came from free throws, as Helena Christofilis was sent to the line, where she scored four first-quarter points. The Panthers excelled early with aggressive play and driving to the hoop. Seattle Prep’s Elsa Castro hit her first three-pointer of the night after Christofilis’ first trip to the line. Lakeside’s Sienna Olson responded with a three-pointer of her own, making the score 8-7 in favor of Seattle Prep. Sophia David followed with a one-point conversion at the free-throw line to tie the game at 8-8. However, during the last minute of the opening quarter, Castro would pour in four points to give Seattle Prep a 12-8 lead going into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, Lakeside dug in defensively and effectively kept Seattle Prep from scoring until the final minute of the quarter. Christofilis scored Lakeside’s first six points of the quarter, while Willa Chinn added a basket of her own as the Lady Lions held a 16-12 lead with 2:45 left in the quarter. Seattle Prep continued to struggle until Gianna Shaw was fouled by Lakeside’s Kaliya Woodard for an and-one shot opportunity, sending her to the free-throw line, but she missed the extra point. Castro followed with a trip to the line as well, where she would make both baskets to tie the game at 16-16. A final basket from Christofilis sent Lakeside into the half leading 18-16.
Seattle Prep started with possession to begin the second half, and sure enough, the script had flipped as the Panthers took control in the third quarter, going on a scoring spree and outplaying Lakeside on both ends of the floor. Kylin Kinchen was a force defensively, disrupting plays with steals and attacking the paint with confidence. Meanwhile, Castro’s relentless hustle was on full display as she dove for loose balls to keep possessions alive for her team.
Kinchen fueled Prep’s surge, converting a fast-break layup before sinking a wide-open three-pointer as the Panthers reclaimed the lead at 23-22. While Kinchen and Castro anchored the Panthers with their defensive intensity, the energy and execution of Seattle Prep’s entire squad were on point.
Lakeside struggled to find offensive rhythm in the quarter, relying solely on Chinn, who accounted for all six of the team’s third-quarter points. With just seconds remaining in the third, Castro delivered one final basket, extending Seattle Prep’s lead to 30-24 heading into the final quarter.
“When we are down, we focus on staying in the moment, taking it one quarter at a time, and giving everything we have for the next eight minutes,” said Kinchen after the game. “As long as we play our hearts out and stay aggressive and competitive, we can walk off the court knowing we gave everything we had to win.”
“We know how to pick each other up when we are down. Our chemistry is a sisterhood because we have faith in each other,” added Kinchen.
Going into the final quarter, Seattle Prep fans were loud, cheering on their team as they had just dominated in the third quarter. Lakeside started with possession but quickly turned the ball over. Kinchen then quickly passed the ball to Elise Lydon, who was fouled, resulting in a trip to the free-throw line, where she would convert both attempts. Seattle Prep’s Grace Renners followed with a three-point shot that extended Seattle Prep’s lead to 35-24.
With six minutes remaining in the game, Seattle Prep’s energy remained high, while Lakeside looked visibly frustrated. The Panthers continued to outpace their opponents, capitalizing on Lakeside’s miscues as the referees called multiple travels and an over-and-back violation against the Lions. As the game neared its conclusion, Prep found plenty of open looks, with Jack, Renners, and Lydon knocking down shots, making it seem as though Lakeside couldn’t keep up.
However, with 1:27 left on the clock and trailing 52-45, Lakeside found a late spark. Chinn stepped up in the final minute, scoring five crucial points, including a smooth jump shot and a clutch and-one conversion. With the score now 54-50 in favor of Seattle Prep, Chinn called a timeout after getting trapped by multiple Panther defenders.
Despite Lakeside’s late push, Prep held firm. Renners sealed the victory at the free-throw line, converting both shots to secure a 56-52 win for the Panthers.
Seattle Prep was led by Castro, who scored 16 points, while Kinchen and Lovejoy both finished the night with 10 points each to lead the Panthers. For Lakeside, Chinn led all scorers with 22 points, while Christofilis chipped in 15 points to lead the Lady Lions.
After the game, Kinchen credited her team’s energy and composure for their success and emphasized the importance of trusting one another and sticking to the game plan.
“We made big plays and key stops when it mattered most. I am really proud of our resilience, not just tonight, but throughout the season,” Kinchen said. “We have come so far, and I am excited to see how much further we can go this postseason.”
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