UPDATE: The Foster girls lost Friday night to Kingston High School, 39-27.
UPDATE: The Foster girls lost to Liberty High School 79-31 Wednesday night. But their hopes are still alive as they play Kingston High School at 6:30 p.m. Friday night at Bellarmine Prep. If they lose, their season is over. But if they win, they are still in the hunt for a trip for the regional tournament. Bellarmine is at 2300 S. Washington S. in Tacoma.
The Foster girls basketball team has met the biggest goal of the season: making the postseason.
The girls play at 7 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Liberty High School in Renton against the ninth-ranked Liberty girls in the 2A girls district tournament.
“They play a lot of pressure defense and they play really hard,” said Foster head coach Eric Smith of Liberty. “I think it will be a good experience for my girls, especially because that is the way we like to play.”
The Bulldogs finished 4-10 for the season, which qualified them for the 2A postseason from the Seamount League, which also includes 3A schools, including undefeated Kennedy Catholic.
“We are a very young team with no seniors on the team and just two juniors, so we expected to lose some games due to inexperience; but overall I’m happy in the position we are in,” said Smith.
A key to moving on to the postseason was Foster’s victory over Lindbergh 45-34 on Jan. 28, which Smith also called the team’s best victory. On Dec. 19 Lindbergh squeaked by Foster 48-46.
“It was good to see our team come together and execute the game plan and get a victory that game,” Smith said.
The girls are preparing for the postseason keeping relaxed and keeping to their usual routines, Smith said.
“We have three freshman and a sophomore in the starting lineup and this will be their first playoff game of their high school careers. So I just want them to concentrate on having fun and play to the best of their ability,” Smith said.
One of the team’s standout players this year is Grace Williams, who Smith believes is the best player in the league, averaging 17 points, 8 rebounds, 8 steals and 4 assists a game. Just a freshman, she made the all-league first team.
With her work ethic, Smith said, “she will only get better.”
Another freshman, Chasity Spady, received all-league honorable mention with less playing time on varsity and playing on junior varsity, he said.
“With her size and athleticism, if she stays working hard, I definitely see her playing college ball,” he said.
Freshman Emolani Morris, who stands 5-foot-10 and is “very athletic,” is a game-changer on defense, Smith said.
With the young players he has now and some upcoming eighth graders, “we will definitely be changing our goal to the state playoffs and eventually be state champions,” he said.
