The Federal Way girls basketball team has been snake-bitten all season long and the team’s bad luck caught up with them again at the Class 4A State Girls Basketball Tournament.
The third-ranked Eagles (21-8) were upended by the Chiawana Riverhawks, 43-40, inside the Tacoma Dome and eliminated Thursday morning by Edmonds-Woodway, 55-52.
Federal Way was forced to play Thursday’s game without the services of leading scorer Darah Huertas-Vining. The sophomore suffered a severely twisted ankle during the fourth quarter of the loss to Chiawana.
But the Eagles had opportunities against the Warriors. However, the free-throw shooting down the stretch of Angela Woods proved too much for Federal Way to overcome. Woods hit seven of eight free throws in the final minute after the Eagles cut a 14-point deficit to just two.
Federal Way got back into the game after rolling off a 16-4 run to cut the lead to 48-46 on a Dyesha Belhumeur 3-pointer.
But Woods hit six-straight free throws after Eagles’ baskets to keep the lead for Edmonds-Woodway, who feature a roster without a senior. Woods finished with 17 points, including five 3-pointers and Sydney Donaldson also ended up with 17 on five 3-pointers.
Federal Way got 20 points, seven rebounds and five steals from junior Talia Walton and 16 points from junior guard Brittany Barrington during the loss.
Chiawana 43, Federal Way 40 (Wednesday)
Holding a commanding eight-point lead Wednesday morning in their state tournament opener with just 4:44 left to play in the game, the Eagles lost the services of their leading scorer and floor leader, Huertas-Vining.
Federal Way’s point guard stepped on the foot of a Chiawana defender after a perfect assist to Walton to give the Eagles a 39-31 lead. Huertas-Vining had to be helped off the floor and is done for the rest of the tournament.
Federal Way failed to make another field goal the rest of the game with their point guard on the bench, turning the ball over numerous times.
Chiawana took its first lead at 40-39 with 1:10 remaining on a pair of free throws by Kendyl Reynolds.
Federal Way had a couple opportunities to take the lead back, but couldn’t. The Eagles were forced to foul and Chiawana’s Mikaela Rivard hit 1-of-2 free throws to push the lead to 41-39 with 28 seconds remaining.
Federal Way’s Chantel Dixon was fouled with 4.2 seconds left, but made one of two from the line.
The Eagles were forced to foul and Chiawana’s Hayley Hodgkins sank two free throws with 1.7 seconds remaining to put the game away. Federal Way’s Barrington missed a half-court 3-pointer that would have tied the game at the buzzer.
Despite being injured, Huertas-Vining still led the Eagles with 13 points. Walton finished with 10 and Barrington chipped in six.
It was the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Federal Way beat Chiawana in Pasco on Jan. 2, 55-48.
The Eagles came into the state tournament without the services of two of their best post players. Leading scorer and rebounder Tyshanna Burgess played in only eight games this season and 6-foot Jaleecia Roland played in only 11. Burgess is out because of disciplinary reasons and Roland is injured. Federal Way also played the first month and half of the season without Barrington, who suffered a knee injury last spring.
