Seahawks Go to State: PHS Girls Basketball Beats Kelso, 58-38

The Peninsula Seahawks are state tournament-bound.

Junior Grace Richardson had 19 points and eight rebounds, and senior Kaylia Heidelberg had a game-high 21 points as the Seahawks girls basketball team kept their season alive with a 58-38 victory over the Kelso Hilanders Feb. 17.

With the win, the Seahawks finished in eighth place in the District 3/4 Girls Basketball Tournament and secured the final spot in the 3A state tournament that starts next week. The brackets will be announced on Sunday and Peninsula is expected to be a lower-seed.

Kelso (13-11) took a small lead after the first quarter, but after that, it was all Seahawks (14-9).

“We came out with a slow start,” said Seahawks coach Hannah Lekson. “We kept beating their zone defense and when they switched to man-to-man we went on an even bigger run.”

Richardson also dished out eight assists and had six steals. Senior Irene Segura contributed six points and two blocked shots. It was the fourth time this season Peninsula defeated their opponent by 20 points or more.

Lekson has led the Seahawks to the state tournament in both of her first two seasons. Last year Peninsula lost a close game to Everett, 56-51, in the first round of the state tournament.