The Cats took their not-infrequent postseason dominance to a new level last week at Nampa, beating their three opponents in the Idaho 1A Division I basketball tournament by an average of 41 points to claim their 11th state title since the advent of the tourney in 1976.

In noting her team’s late-season improvement this year, Marks handed kudos to team captains Lauren Gould, Sayq’is Greene, Jordyn McCormack-Marks and Grace Sobotta.

As pivotal as the three losses might have been to Lapwai’s mindset, they were nothing to be ashamed of. Two of them came in a holiday tournament at Lewiston in December, at the hands of opponents from the largest enrollment classes in Idaho (Post Falls) and Washington (Richland).

The final loss came in January against Whitepine League rival Prairie, which wound up second behind the Wildcats in the state tournament. The Pirates, then, can take some credit for the 10-game winning steak with which Lapwai then finished its season, and the unflagging focus it showed in a 63-37 win against Prairie on Saturday in the state championship game at the Idaho Center.

McCormack-Marks, a sophomore guard, looked especially locked in while scoring 20 points in a semifinal win against Raft River and 19 in the title game. Sobotta, a senior point guard who orchestrated the Cats’ overwhelming transition game, poured in 24 points and six 3-pointers, two shy of the 1A D-I tournament record, in a quarterfinal win against Liberty Charter.

“They all knew their jobs and their roles,” Marks said. “I saw the team’s growth from the beginning to the end of the season, and it was very significant, not just individually but as a team.”

Sobotta and Greene were two of only three seniors on the team, the other being Kahlees Young. So the Wildcats stand a good chance of extending their momentum into next season.

“The good thing about the seniors is they have confidence in the younger players,” Marks said. “Even though they’re leaving, they’re leaving those girls with good words of encouragement: ‘We want you to keep bringing these trophies back to Lapwai.’ ”

 

From left, Lapwai’s Kahlees Young, Sayq’is Greene and Grace Sobotta pose with the 2022 Idaho Class 1A Division I state tournament championship trophy after defeating Prairie on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Idaho Center.

• Zach Wilkinson/Tribune

 

 

 

Lapwai guard Lauren Gould takes an uncontested shot during the second quarter of the 2022 Idaho Class 1A Division I state tournament championship game Saturday afternoon at the Idaho Ford Center.

• Zach Wilkinson/Tribune

 

 

 

Lapwai guard Jordyn McCormack-Marks shoots during the third quarter of Saturday’s Idaho Class 1A Division I state tournament championship game at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.. She finished with 19 points for the Wildcats.

• Zach Wilkinson/Tribune

 

 

 

Prairie guard Delanie Lockett (5) takes a floater over Lapwai guard Samara Smith (4) and center Soa Moliga (11) during the fourth quarter of the 2022 Idaho Class 1A Division I state tournament championship game Saturday afternoon at the Idaho Ford Center.

• Zach Wilkinson/Tribune