Class 1A - Top 8 seed Saturday games - Bracket breakdown

Three of the top 8 in the 1A bracket will play Saturday night. #1 seed Nooksack and #8 Bellevue Christian play tonight. That leaves the 2 seed and defending champs, Lynden Christian with their match-up vs 7 seed Cashmere tomorrow. The 4 seed Montesano and 5 - Kings. #3 Wapato and 6 Deer Park will also square off in the other Class 1A top 8 game. Here's a closer look at the action to be on Saturday.   2 Lynden Christian 7 Cashmere   PLAYERS TO WATCH LYNDEN CHRISTIAN [player_tooltip player_id='580777' first='Grace' last='Hintz'], [player_tooltip player_id='601971' first='Demi' last='Dykstra'], [player_tooltip player_id='599227' first='Daisy' last='Poag']   CASHMERE Adysen Bjorklund, [player_tooltip player_id='601972' first='Kaitlyn' last='Bjorklund'], [player_tooltip player_id='591738' first='Leah' last='Kunz'], Mia Hammond, Brianna Talley   OUTLOOK   Lynden Christian has one of the best sophomore guards in the state. [player_tooltip player_id='580777' first='Grace' last='Hintz'] will lead the Lyncs on their quest for a three - peat. She is a dynamic scoring guard with the talent to put up big numbers. She plays more like a senior and a great one at that. [player_tooltip player_id='601971' first='Demi' last='Dykstra'] is a shooter with the ability to score points from the other guard position. At times, these two are hard to tell apart, although Hintz usually separates herself by getting buckets in bunches with a Division 1 flare. To the tune of over 23 points a game this season. Both are capable of putting up points. Cashmere has some decent size at the forward position with [player_tooltip player_id='591738' first='Leah' last='Kunz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='601972' first='Kaitlyn' last='Bjorklund'], both of whom are athletic enough to play most positions on the floor. They could hang around and make things interesting. Lynden Christian has three losses, two to number 1 Nooksack and one to 4A Eastlake who is the 4 seed in the 4A tournament. The Lyncs wouldn't see Nooksack until the title game if they both get there.That possibility of a Lynden Christian vs Nooksack championship rematch looms large. A [player_tooltip player_id='281968' first='Devin' last='Coppinger'] - [player_tooltip player_id='580777' first='Grace' last='Hintz'] part 3 of the 2023 season would be a must see Class 1A girls state championship game.   Prediction - Lynden Christian 71-53   5 Kings 4 Montesano   PLAYERS TO WATCH MONTESANO [player_tooltip player_id='115400' first='McKynnlie' last='Dalan'], [player_tooltip player_id='587412' first='Evanjillie' last='Dalan'], Jaiden King, Mikayla Stanfield   KINGS [player_tooltip player_id='585032' first='Kaleo' last='Anderson'], Ava Fransisco, Cat Ellard   OUTLOOK Both teams enter tomorrow's game at 21-3. Montesano is the winner of 11 straight. Kings has won 12 straight. Montesano will have the size and strength advantage with the Dalan sisters. They may slow it down and pound the ball inside. [player_tooltip player_id='115400' first='McKynnlie' last='Dalan'] in perticular could be tough to stop with her 21 points a game. The younger Dalan adds 10 points a game for a team that leans on them to score. For Kings, Emerald Sound Conference League MVP [player_tooltip player_id='585032' first='Kaleo' last='Anderson'] is one of the top point guards in the freshman class. She can pick a defense apart and hit some long range daggers. Fransisco was a 1st team all league selection and Ellard a 2nd team pick. I am giving the Bulldogs a slight advantage in a very low scoring game played through the post.   Prediction-Montesano 45-39   3 Wapato 6 Deer Park   PLAYERS TO WATCH   WAPATO   [player_tooltip player_id='115396' first='KK' last='Bass'], [player_tooltip player_id='579811' first='Deets' last='Parrish-Nagle'], Trinity Wheeler Jordan Espinoza   DEER PARK   [player_tooltip player_id='304002' first='Darian' last='Herring'], Brooklyn Coe   OUTLOOK   Wapato is led by [player_tooltip player_id='115396' first='KK' last='Bass'], an athletic wing player who is a threat to drop 30 on any given night. She has the ability to stretch the defense with her range, but her athleticism is what stands out. She is a great rebounder and can play any position on the floor. She surpassed 1,000 points early in the season. Freshman point guard [player_tooltip player_id='579811' first='Deets' last='Parrish-Nagle'] is a highly ranked guard in the Class of 2026. She brings a high level basketball IQ along with her overall skill level beyond her years. She provides scoring and can run the team with the poise of a senior. [player_tooltip player_id='304002' first='Darian' last='Herring'] leads Deer Park as a senior leader and big time scorer. She was named Northwest 1A player of the year. Coe had 25 in a district win and can shoot it. It is Bass that I see as the difference maker in her senior season. She can get buckets inside and out. Wapato advances to the quarterfinals.   Prediction - Wapato 63-59

Three of the top 8 in the 1A bracket will play Saturday night. #1 seed Nooksack and #8 Bellevue Christian play tonight. That leaves the 2 seed and defending champs, Lynden Christian with their match-up vs 7 seed Cashmere tomorrow. The 4 seed Montesano and 5 - Kings. #3 Wapato and 6 Deer Park will also square off in the other Class 1A top 8 game. Here's a closer look at the action to be on Saturday.