Lady Cavs complete monumental feat: a three-peat

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, March 29, 2006

KINGSTON — The emotional aftermath of an undefeated season and accompanying championship is a scene that the Kingston Lady Cavaliers must feel at home with by now.

In cool fashion, the Cavs calmly crushed the Central Kitsap Cubs 48-24 March 23, completing Kingston’s third consecutive undefeated season and capturing its third consecutive league championship.

At the sound of the final buzzer, the Cavaliers accomplished a feat that nearly raises them to the ranks of Duke’s 2001-2004 Blue Devils and the 2001-2004 Lady Huskies of the University of Connecticut, each of which captured national titles in three consecutive years.

That would then place KJH coach Tony Chisholm on the list with those NCAA coaching greats, Geno Auriemma of UConn and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.

“I do feel special, no matter what level you do this at, it’s a very special moment,” Chisholm said of himself and his team. “It’s an honor to be a part of a three-peat … it just doesn’t happen.”

No matter the level or the sport, holding an unblemished record for three straight seasons is rare, but the underlying theme that makes dreams become reality is unity.

“I’m the new breed of coaching, not the hardcore suit and tie guy that has to say the right words all the time,” Chisholm said. “I can identify what these kids are thinking about and what’s going on in their lives; by me coming down on that level, that’s what makes them trust me.”

In the Thursday afternoon title game, Kingston started with the same focus that it has had for the entire season: defense.

The Lady Cavs forced three turnovers early in varied fashion. Sophia Baetz and Ashley Reddican began with steals, then Reddican blocked a shot and the entire defense created two Cub travels, putting the Cavs up 4-0 early.

“Coach drilled us into that, defense is coach’s heart and soul,” said KJH post player Jamie Heggenstaller. “Ever since I started playing in third grade for him, even then he was all about defense.”

But CK took advantage of a stagnant Kingston offense, putting together a six-point run and holding on to end the first quarter down by one, 7-6.

The second quarter became a turnover-fest early as both teams’ defenses dueled. Kingston’s offense couldn’t find the net, but CK couldn’t even find an open shot as the score remained neck-and-neck.

Then KJH steals created the momentum that sent the Cavs on an eight-point run which carried them to an 18-10 lead at half-time.

“Defense saved us almost the majority of the season,” Chisholm said.

In the third quarter, it was seventh-grader Sophia Baetz who stepped up to save the Cavs from a potentially dangerous predicament.

The Cubs clawed back into the game at the start of the third until they were knocking at a 19-20 Cav lead. That’s when Baetz lifted the Cavs with a long distance swish followed by a breakaway bucket. On the next Cav possession, Laura Wicklein gave Baetz a clear-cut dish and Kingston was back on top 26-19 and was extended to 31-19 by the end of the third.

“I think we were really intense, we needed to bring the energy today,” Heggenstaller said after the game. “Half of it was mental, we needed to step it up today and we did.”

The Cavs’ intensity didn’t allow a CK point in the majority of the fourth quarter as Chisholm paced the bench with his fists raised and clenched.

“There was never a doubt in my mind that we could pull this through, it was a question of how,” Chisholm said. “It’s not where you play, it’s not who you play, it’s how you play … every game, I told my kids that.”

“We always found a way to win, we always pulled through when it was critical,” Heggenstaller added.

On the season, Kingston outscored their opponents by a total of 587-392. Kira Markey led the team in scoring with 158 points on the year, Arissan Ugles scored 136 and Baetz added 115.

The rest of the team added the components of a champion including hard work, hustle, rebounding, defense, focus and passing, just to name a few.

“A different player stepped up every game,” Chisholm said. “This was the first team that I had that had this much depth. I could go nine down the bench easy.”

Along with all of his players, Chisholm also offered huge props to his fellow coaches, Tim French, Melody Udje and Coach Serge.