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In November, the Capital High girls, who returned just one starter and four players with any varsity experience, looked to be in rebuilding mode.
Then the Cougars, after winning a league title, struggled at district and went into the 3A state tournament as an eighth seed. Expectations again plummeted.
“I think almost everyone expected us to go two and out,” Capital coach Colleen Wells said.
But a Capital team that fooled opponents and surprised its coach all season pulled off the unexpected again Saturday, knocking off East Valley of Spokane, 59-42, to earn a trophy.
It was a historic moment.
Capital placed a best-ever fifth, bettering the eighth-place finish of a 1998 Cougars team led by Molly McKinnon. It’s the third time in school history a Capital team has earned a trophy at state – once by the boys, who placed seventh, and now twice by the girls.
“Before the game, I told them they had a chance to make Capital High School history,” Wells said. “They did it.”
Capital, again led by Tosha Hollingsworth’s gritty play, won its third straight after losing its tournament opener to Shadle Park. The Cougars bounced back for a 49-47 victory over Bonney Lake after trailing by 20 and edged Yelm, 42-41, on Hollingsworth’s buzzer-beater.
It was a season full of unexpected wins.
“If you had told me we’d go to state in November, I’d have said you were crazy,” Wells said.
Capital needed another comeback – albeit a much smaller one – to beat East Valley. Trailing 13-11 after the first quarter, Capital opened the second quarter with a 12-0 run, taking a 23-13 lead on Hollingsworth’s 3-pointer.
The Cougars, their defense holding East Valley to a frosty 25 percent shooting for the game, led by double digits the rest of the way.
Hollingsworth, a two-time MVP of the Western Cascade Conference, led the Cougars with 21 points, going 8-for-13 from the field. She was 4-for-7 on 3-pointers.
“We couldn’t stop her,” East Valley coach Rob Collins said.
Capital held East Valley to three points in the second quarter and led 28-16 at halftime. East Valley missed its first 10 shots of the second quarter and went scoreless from the field until two minutes remained in the half.
East Valley went 1-for-14 in the second quarter.
“Our defense has played well all season,” Wells said. “This team never gives up.”
Capital, reaching state for the third time in Wells’ nine years as head coach, finished 20-9. It’s the most wins in a season for a Capital girls team.
Capital won without starting forward Alyssa Edenstrom, who missed Saturday’s game to play in a soccer tournament in San Diego. She was heartbroken.
“It’s unfortunate she didn’t have the opportunity to share this moment with her teammates,” Wells said.
Alison Jenson replaced Edenstrom and made her third start of the season. She went 4-for-10 from the field and scored nine points, six above her average.
“I was more excited than nervous,” said Jenson, a 5-foot-8 junior who scored all nine of her points in the second half.
After the game, Edenstrom’s teammates sent her text messages about the win.
“We really wanted to win this, especially without Alyssa,” said Capital guard Kelsey Antles, who finished with 11 points on 4-for-8 shooting. “Alison is a really good shooter. She played awesome.”
So did a Capital team that started the season with little hope of reaching state.
“No one expected anything from us,” Antles said. “We just played well together. No one has an attitude on this team.”
Hollingsworth, who broke Capital’s single-season scoring record, averaged 22.5 points and was again the Cougars’ offensive spark against East Valley.
“We won because of Tosha. She’s a special player,” Wells said. “And we won because of our team chemistry. They played as a team. There was no jealousy.”
