Spartan seniors conclude hoops careers with never-say-die state tourney appearance

Spartan seniors (from left): Brock Reinecke (10), Austin Cook (21) and Ryan Schroyer (22) concluded their basketball careers by playing in last week’s Class 4A State Basketball Tournament at the Tacoma Dome. PHOTO BY JOHN GALBREATH | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS “Many dreams came true when we took the floor in the dome. The kids will remember this experience for their entire lives and because of that I’m happy this group was able to play in the state tournament.”

Thus did head boys’ basketball coach Zach Ward summarize his senior-laden team’s three-game appearance at the Tacoma Dome last week. With a 1-2 record against a trio of the most athletic teams in the tournament - Federal Way, Auburn, and Skyline - the Spartans (17-9) reluctantly bowed out without bringing home a coveted top-eight trophy.

“Even though our ultimate goal was to bring a trophy back to Stanwood, I thought our kids did great down there while playing extremely hard. I told the guys in the locker room afterwards that they are an exceptionally special group, and they had a special season. It was a great journey this year and they should be happy with the effort they gave and the teamwork they developed.”

Game one

The Sparts’ first statelevel encounter in eight seasons was against No. 1-rated Federal Way. The Eagles finished second in 2008, won the championship last year, and were favored to repeat this campaign.

Matched up against a much taller, more athletic club, the Spartans fell behind 20-9 after a quarter of rather erratic play that included eight turnovers.

“They knew who they were playing,” Ward summarized.

A 9-2 rally at the second period’s commencement brought the Sparts back into contention. A reverse lay-in and another close-in banker by Zack Johnson, an in-thelane jumper and a drawn charge by Kale Schmidt, a pair of Michael McCune free throws and a Johnson blocked shot drew the local cagers within 24-18.

However, increased defensive pressure and dominance on the boards (12 firsthalf offensive rebounds) by the Eagles offset Schmidt’s 12 first-half points, and they were able to increase their lead to 38-23 after the first 16 minutes of play.

A series of quick-burst scoring binges led by firstteam state tourney guard Isiah Umipig (20 points) and University of San Francisco recruit Cole Dickerson carried Federal Way through the second half with relative ease as they coasted to a 64- 44 win.

Notable performances for this initial game of the tournament belonged to, of course, Zack Johnson, with his 16 points (7/13 from the field), 11 rebounds and four assists, and Kale Schmidt, who tallied 18 points (7/14) and snatched three steals. Michael McCune added six rebounds and four points (2/3) in 20 minutes of play.

Game two Thursday dawned with a realistic hope that Stanwood’s basketeers had a chance to knock off their second-round opponent, Auburn, a 65-33 loser to Gonzaga Prep.

Despite building a lead of 20 points late in the third frame, the Spartans had to hang on over the last nine minutes of the contest to edge the Trojans 73-67.

But most of the postgame talk centered on Kale Schmidt’s extraordinary offensive contribution.

The 6-foot-3 senior guard buried 14 of his 27 field goal attempts (5-for-7 from 3- point range) and netted six of his seven free throws during the course of the game to total 39 points, the best single-game output of any player at the state tournament. Even that couldn’t hold off Auburn during a very torrid fourth quarter.

Led by Kevin Henderson’s 30 points and Zeke Johnson’s 19 points and 12 rebounds, hot shooting and their squad’s full-court press, the Trojans pressured Stanwood’s ball handlers into a few too many turnovers and it was suddenly 68-67, Sparts, with 1:09 to go.

Not to be denied an opportunity to play another day, the Spartans, represented by the on-court presence of Michael McCune, Ryan Schroyer, Austin Cook, Drew Haugstad and Schmidt (Zack Johnson had drawn his fifth foul two minutes earlier) hustled mightily to secure the victory over that final, interminable stretch.

Earlier, McCune had demonstrated what it would take to win when he leaped atop the courtside media table in an attempt to save a wayward basketball. With that kind of effort, the entire team refocused, kept the ball in play and, behind five successful foul shots – one by McCune and four straight by the unflappable Kale Schmidt – locked down their high school’s first state hoops victory since 2002.

“It was great to bounce back and win that next morning against a good Auburn team,” agreed Ward. “Kale was spectacular as he got us out to a big lead and then we withstood that late Auburn run.”

Besides Schmidt’s obvious contributions, Zack Johnson (10 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists in just 16 minutes of play), Drew Haugstad (10 points, 4 rebounds), Brock Reinecke (4 assists), Jordan Taylor (4/4 free throws, 5 rebounds) and Ryan Schroyer (4 assists) all provided quality time to the winning effort.

“You never know what you’re going to get in day three of a tournament. Both teams are tired and playing for their basketball lives,” said their mentor.

Game three

Things weren’t going so badly for the local heroes after they had overcome a first-quarter 13-5 deficit to Skyline of Sammamish, owners of a 17-3 regularseason record.

Journeyman Ryan Schroyer – one of eight seniors on this tournament team – swished a trey from the top of the key. Brock Reinecke followed that with a well-timed rebound tip-in and then Schroyer, playing with seemingly inexhaustible energy, fed Johnson underneath as the Sparts trailed just 13-12 less than two minutes into the second period.

Following a successful charity toss, Johnson drew a charge at the other end just before Schroyer scored on a driving 12-footer in the key.

After a couple Skyline baskets, Reinecke rainbowed a beautiful trifecta from the deep left side to draw Stanwood back into the fray, 19- 18. Two Schmidt free throws and yet another three-pointer by Schroyer at the buzzer kept the Sparts within striking distance at 26-23.

It began to appear as though these Spartans’ eight years together (many under the off-season tutelage of Brock’s dad, Scott Reinecke) were going to pay off with another trophy for Stanwood High’s trophy shelf after they ran off 14 straight points to begin the second half (39-29). During those six minutes, Johnson tallied six points while Austin Cook’s two free tosses were sandwiched between a pair of Schmidt treys before Cook passed up court to Schmidt for a fast-break lay-in.

Even though Schmidt netted another three-pointer near the quarter’s end, Skyline had begun to employ that nemesis of the Spartans all year long – the full-court press – and the local cagers’ season had become one quarter too long.

“We built that 10-point lead in the third but were unable to hold on,” Ward noted. “The pressure from Skyline caused us major problems. Our backcourt was unable to deal with their defensive pressure.”

That pressure, which would result in no less than eight turnovers in as many minutes, created a 48-48 tie by the six-minute mark, and then the Spartans from Sammamish extended it to 53-49 before junior forward Jordan Taylor put four counters on the board to make it 55-54, Skyline, with 2:39 remaining.

Schmidt’s third trey (at the 44.2 second mark) was his and the team’s last points until Ryan Schroyer buried yet another buzzer beater from beyond the arc – too late to avoid a 63-60 defeat and the long ride home after a season of memorable games.

For this final encounter of his high school career, Schmidt scored 21 points. His 26 points-per-game average was easily the finest scoring effort of the entire tournament and led his teammates in recording the best three-point percentage (42.6%) for all teams as well. His performance earned the Stanwood guard second-team All State-Tournament honors.

Schroyer had a perfect shooting day (4/4 from field; 3/3 free throws; 11 points) and snared 7 rebounds during his 31 minutes on the court. Johnson (10 points, 9 rebounds), Reinecke (9 points), Taylor (5 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) and Cook (4/4 free throws, 3 rebounds) also contributed mightily during the game.

Johnson, in addition, was second in rebounds/game (10.7) and third in assists/ game (4.0) among all players. His 295 rebounds this season set a new standard for future SHS basketball players.

“I’m really going to miss this senior class,” shared Ward. “They were sophomores when I got the (head coaching) job three years ago and so much of what we have done since then has involved them. I have so many good memories of them including summer tournaments all over the state, team camp in California, the WesCo North Championship, and a state tournament berth. They will always hold a special spot in my life. These guys did a great job of putting Stanwood basketball back on the map and setting the bar a few notches higher for the underclassmen to reach.”

Ward concluded with a shout out to the Stanwood fans. “We had a very good showing on and off the floor. The fan support was awesome! (It was) easily the best fan support of any team down there. That says a lot about this community and their commitment to athletics.”

Spartan sports

MONDAY, MARCH 15
Girls softball







@ Glacier Peak H.S.
Varsity & JV 4 p.m.
TUESDAY, MARCH 16
Girls softball







@ Lynnwood High School
Varsity & JV 4 p.m.
Boys soccer VS
Marysville-Pilchuck H.S.
Varsity 7:30 p.m.
JV 5:30 p.m.