Window Rock, Page girls advance to AIA 3A State Championship game

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

PHOENIX – The 2026 Arizona Interscholastic Association 3A Girls State Championship is set for a 3A North showdown as top-seeded Window Rock (20-9) will face second-seeded Page (16-14) for the title Saturday afternoon at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.

Window Rock earned its spot with a 50-42 semifinal win over Alchesay in the opening matchup Friday evening in front of a near-capacity crowd largely made up of Lady Falcon supporters. The Lady Scouts pulled away in the final quarter behind a stellar 24-point performance from senior Kourtney Bitselley. Freshmen Tiana Edison and Naomi James combined for 20 points, with James scoring 11 and Edison adding nine.

The first half was marked by missed free throws, as Window Rock shot just 3 of 11 from the line before regaining composure in the fourth quarter, where it converted 9 of 11 to seal the win.

“We always emphasize free throws, so I’m not sure what they were thinking. Most likely nervousness,” Window Rock head coach Gabrielle Whitney said. “I had to tell them to calm down, step back, you have 10 seconds to get into rhythm to shoot the free throws.”

Looking ahead to the championship, Whitney kept the focus inward. “Right now, we need to talk about our game. And we can’t worry about who we play next. For now we will take a break, celebrate and get ready for the game tomorrow.”

Window Rock finished the regular season at 17-7 and earned the No. 2 seed in the regional tournament, defeating Ganado 65-42 before falling to Tuba City 63-40 in the regional championship. The Lady Scouts entered the Copper Bracket as the No. 6 seed and opened with a decisive win over Joseph City, the newly crowned 2026 AIA 1A Girls State Champion. Window Rock then traveled to Pima and fell 48-42, which placed the Lady Scouts as the top seed in the 3A State Bracket. From there, Window Rock defeated eighth-seeded Monument Valley 65-51 in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals.

Page secured its championship berth with a 57-48 win over Yuma Catholic in Friday’s late semifinal game. Senior Tayla Franklin and junior Trece Tsingine each scored 17 points, while Savannah Franklin added 10. Yuma Catholic’s Amelia Borrallo finished with a game-high 32 points in the loss. Page closed the game strong, scoring nine points off six Yuma Catholic turnovers and outscoring the Shamrocks 16-12 in the final quarter.

The Lady Sand Devils finished the regular season at 13-12 and exited early in the regional tournament, a moment head coach Celeste Claw said helped reset the team’s mindset.

“After the loss, we had a whole week of practice to prepare for the postseason. We knew we had to win out because the regular season is over,” Claw said. “To lose in a postseason tournament, it shows us the reality that it’s now win or go home. We had the whole week to prepare and now here we are.”

Seeded eighth in the Copper Bracket, Page opened with a dominant 58-21 win over Mohave Accelerated before falling to top-seeded Snowflake 59-44. Dropping into the 3A bracket as the No. 2 seed, the Lady Sand Devils defeated Chinle 38-27 in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals.

Saturday’s championship also carries historical weight. It marks a rematch of the 2024 3A State Championship between the two programs.

“It’s gonna be a battle tomorrow! It’s gonna be a fun game,” Claw said. “It’s a flashback. Window Rock and us played two years ago in the 3A championship. I know Gabby’s definitely excited to play us again, we’re excited to play them again and going 1-1. It’s gonna be a fun game.”

Between them, Window Rock and Page have combined for 30 state championship appearances. Page leads with 19 appearances, moving ahead of Winslow’s 18, while Window Rock has 11, tied with Monument Valley. The two programs have combined for 16 state titles, and Saturday’s winner will break the tie between them and move into a tie for second place all-time with nine championships alongside Winslow and Thatcher, trailing only Seton Catholic’s 12 titles.

The championship game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where a large crowd is expected.

Following Window Rock’s semifinal win over Alchesay, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren praised the atmosphere created by the Lady Falcon supporters.

“Tomorrow we’re going to pack the house and I hope we get as loud as this!” Nygren said. “The game and the atmosphere is electric and exciting! I met with eastern agency and quickly made my way down to be here for this!”

With two 3A North programs left standing, Saturday’s championship promises both history and rivalry on the state’s biggest stage.

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