Layla Senderson (left) and Jadlyn Senderson have been instrumental in Mountain View’s league championship season, from their athletic ability and also their leadership skills. Both will be taking their talents to Seattle Pacific University after high school. Photo by Paul Valencia

Camas boys have clinched a trip to state, while the Union girls and Camas girls have games Monday that could lead them to state, as well; plus a roundup of all the brackets involving Southwest Washington teams

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

They have at least one more game to play.

It could be two, or three. Maybe even four or more games to play in the season.

That’s playoff basketball.

The Mountain View Thunder girls basketball team is among the many basketball teams still looking to make it to the state tournament.

Twin sisters Jadlyn and Layla Senderson and their teammates are in the emotional up-and-downs of the postseason. It turns out, the sisters had quite an unpredictable journey to college basketball, as well.

But here they are, hoping for many more games for the Thunder before they take their talents to Seattle Pacific University. Whether the high school season ends this week, or the following week at state regionals, or, they hope, in the Tacoma Dome in March, their time at Mountain View has made an impact on them, and their teammates.

“Mountain View basketball is everything to me. No matter what happens, I’ll be happy,” Jadlyn Senderson said Friday night after the Thunder defeated Thomas Jefferson in the opening round of the Class 3A bi-district tournament.

“Every single day at practice, I just see everyone having great energy,” said Layla Senderson. “No matter how far we go, I’ll always be proud of all the girls.”

On Saturday, Mountain View lost a tough one to River Ridge in the quarterfinals of bi-district. That dropped the Thunder into the consolation bracket. They will next host Silas on Wednesday in an elimination game. If Mountain View wins that one, they will have two more opportunities to win one game to qualify for state.

Last week’s winter storm played havoc on a lot of the postseason tournaments, with some teams having to play back-to-back games, while other teams getting a lot of off days. In Class 4A, the Camas boys clinched a spot to state regionals. The Union girls and Camas girls can clinch state spots with wins on Monday in the bi-district quarterfinals.

The Southwest Washington boys and girls teams in the 3A bi-district are all in the consolation brackets, hoping to qualify for state this week.

Plus, Clark County teams in 2A, 1A, and 1B are in district tournaments this week, looking to book their tickets to state. There is a roundup of each tournament later in this report.

For the Mountain View girls basketball team, coach Chuck Knight said the Senderson sisters as well as senior Sveva Bernasconi, an exchange student from Italy, are among the best leaders he has had in his career.

The sisters, Knight said, have a great combination of character skills.

“It starts with working hard. Leadership by example. And then it’s being kind and sensitive to the needs of other players,” Knight said. “Leaders put other people first. They put the good of the team first. They are not selfish at all.”

“My team actually makes it really easy for me,” Jadlyn Senderson said. “This is one of the most fun teams I’ve ever been on.”

They both embraced the role of senior leader.

“Being a leader is super rewarding,” Layla Senderson said, noting that she remembers what it was like when she was younger — a teammate but not necessarily a leader.

“Communication has been a big step up this year. I find it a lot easier to talk to my teammates,” Layla Senderson said. “Everybody just respects each other and gets along really well.”

Jadlyn Senderson, too, has found a new way to express herself.

“For me it’s been using my voice. That’s something I’ve struggled with in the past. Now this year, I find myself being more vocal,” she said.

Both sisters also say it is important to lead by example. Can’t just talk. Layla Senderson said it is important that their teammates have someone to look up to, not just in games, but at practices, too.

That way, the winning tradition continues even after the seniors graduate. Mountain View has won consecutive Class 3A Greater St. Helens League titles.

As far as life after Mountain View, the Senderson sisters had quite the shock to the system in January. They had signed with Sonoma State University in California to play basketball. But last month, the school surprised their current and future athletes by announcing it would end all NCAA Division II athletics.

“I was kind of a wreck, not knowing what was coming next,” Layla Senderson said. “The unknown was super scary. With the support of my friends and family, I took a deep breath and knew I’d be playing basketball next year.”

True. Instead of going south, the Senderson sisters are heading north.

“We’re super excited to have recommitted to Seattle Pacific,” Jadlyn Senderson said. “I already love the team and my coach. We’re super excited for next year.”

For now, though, it is still all about the Thunder, looking to advance to state. The Senderson sisters know the season is on the line this week. Naturally, they want to win. Regardless, it has been a rewarding experience with the basketball program, a time they both grew not only as athletes but as leaders.

“This will always be a special memory for me,” Layla Senderson said.

…

Here are the brackets and a brief update for Southwest Washington high school basketball teams.

Class 4A boys: Camas, the No. 1 seed, clinched a spot to state with a win Saturday and advanced to the bi-district semifinals. The Papermakers will play Olympia at Auburn High School on Tuesday night in the semifinals. Union and Skyview both won in the consolation bracket on Saturday. They play again Tuesday in an elimination game. Both teams must win back-to-back games this week in order to advance to state. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4579

Class 4A girls: The Union Titans, the No. 1 seed, are set to host No. 9 Kennedy Catholic at 5 p.m. Monday (Feb. 17) in the bi-district quarterfinals. The winner will also advance to state. The defending state champion Camas Papermakers, the No. 4 seed, will host No. 5 Olympia, also at 5 p.m. Monday. The winner also advances to state as well as the semifinals of bi-district. Skyview lost to Olympia on Saturday in the opening round, falling into the consolation bracket. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4580

Class 3A boys: Prairie and Mountain View both fell in the quarterfinals of the bi-district. Prairie will host White River at 7 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 18) in one elimination game. Mountain View will host Silas on Tuesday in another elimination game. The winners of Tuesday’s games will then get two opportunities to win one game to advance to state. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4581

Class 3A girls: Mountain View’s loss on Saturday put the Thunder into the consolation bracket. Mountain View will host Silas on Wednesday (Feb. 16) in an elimination game. Evergreen also lost in the quarterfinals. Evergreen will host 3A GSHL rival Kelso on Wednesday. The winners of those games will then get two opportunities to win one to advance to state. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4582

Class 2A boys: Ridgefield will face Mark Morris and Columbia River will take on R.A. Long in the semifinals on Tuesday (Feb. 18). The winners will qualify for state. The losers will fall into the consolation bracket. Washougal is still alive in the consolation bracket. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4615

Class 2A girls: Woodland will take on W.F. West and Columbia River will face Black Hills in the semifinals on Monday (Feb. 17). The winners will qualify for state. The losers will fall into the consolation bracket. Ridgefield and Washougal are still alive in the consolation bracket. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4616

Class 1A boys: It’s an all Trico League final four at district. Seton Catholic will take on La Center and Fort Vancouver will host King’s Way Christian. Both games are Wednesday (Feb. 19). The winners will advance to the district finals and state. The losers will get another shot at state in the consolation brackets. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4637

Class 1A girls: Seton Catholic will host Hoquiam on Tuesday (Feb. 18) and King’s Way Christian will travel to Montesano on Tuesday in the semifinals. The winners advance to state. The losers will get another shot at state in the consolation brackets. https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4636

Class 1B: The Columbia Adventist boys will play Ocosta in one semifinal on Monday (Feb. 17.) The Columbia Adventist girls are in the consolation bracket and will play Naselle on Tuesday (Feb. 18).

https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4614

https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4607