Lady Scouts coast to state championship

The Window Rock Lady Scouts made it look easy to win a state championship last Saturday.

But that's what you get when you have high-caliber players such Ashley Mitchell, court mastermind Coralie Clark and rebounder Arianne Sheka in the starting lineup.

In front of an estimated 17,000 fans at Jobing.com Arena, the No. 1 Lady Scouts sailed up and over the No. 3 Monument Valley Lady Mustangs for a 41-20 victory, capturing their first 3A state crown since 1996.

"All year long, Coralie and Ashley have played with balance and poise," said Window Rock third-year head coach Charles Chong. "When the pressure is on, they do not crack or lose focus. It's nice to have players that make things look easy and I think it's a testament to their maturity level on the courts."

To kick off the Saturday night game, Monument Valley's Bradley Nash scored the first two points, but she only totaled 6 points for the entire game against Mitchell's smothering defense.

"She gave me a confident, 'OK, coach,'" Chong said of Mitchell's response to guarding Nash, a change Chong made to contain MV's leading scorer.

"We tried to match up the best we could and decided not to help Ashley," he said. "What a match-up for them to go one on one."

Nash and Mitchell were named this year's 3A North co-players of the year during the regional tournament.

In the first quarter, the Scouts played patiently looking for the open shot and anticipating steals. Window Rock senior guards Coralie Clark and Sydney Perkins and sophomore post Arianne Sheka combined for an early run to lead at the end of the first quarter, 11-6.

The Scouts continued their lead to end the half up, 17-11.

"The game started out shaky and there were some jitters," Chong said. "But we knew that if we kept playing defense, our shots would start to fall."

To open the third, Mitchell nailed two free throws and drove for 2 points to give the Scouts a 10-point lead with 5:21 left in the quarter.

Window Rock held the Mustangs to 4 points in the third quarter and added to their side of the scoreboard to end the third with a comfortable 31-15 lead.

"It was a battle on the inside," said Chong. "We told them that rather than trying to out-rebound them, they should out-position them."

Window Rock kept their guard up in the final quarter, cruising to the win and their fourth victory over the Mustangs.
"It's very difficult to beat someone three or four times in a row," Chong said. "We knew that their strength was their inside game and we learned from our mistakes in the past too. The key thing was containing their forwards."

Chong said to take away MV's inside game, Mitchell closely guarded Nash, while Clark and Sheka eyed MV's power forward McKara Kescoli and three-point shooter Destinee Holiday.

The Scouts end their season 33-1. Their only loss was early in the season to Kirtland Central, ranked No. 2 in New Mexico's Class 4A.

The Scouts also captured the 3A North regional title, defeating the Mustangs, 43-37.

Mitchell, a four-year starting guard and forward, led in scoring with 19 points.

During Mitchell's freshman year, the Scouts claimed the regional title but were eliminated in the second round of the state tournament by Ganado. The Scouts took third during her sophomore year and then second last year at the regional tournament.
Last year, the Scouts lost the state championship game to Winslow.

In an interview after the regional tournament, Mitchell said her team was doing things a little bit different as they eyed the state title.

"We thought too much about the title and we just couldn't finish it," she said of last year's run. "We're just going to take it one game at a time now and don't take any team lightly. We're just trying to stay humble and keep focused."

Three-year starting guard Coralie Clark agreed.

"It took three long years to get here and it's a great accomplishment for the team," Clark said. "Last year we got close but didn't finish it. Since then, the goal was to get back to Glendale and win the championship."

Last year, it was the city lights and big crowd that became overwhelming.

"We were all nervous last year," Clark said. "This year, we were more relaxed and we knew what to expect. We knew what to look for and what to expect from MV."

Chong said assistant coach Brad Thorsted summed up their readiness for the championship game as they marched into the arena: "Last year we thought we could win, this year, we knew we could win.

"Last year, coming out, seeing the crowd and big lights took a toll on the team," Chong said. "They had never been there before. But this year, the girls were loose and it was just another basketball game. We just wanted to play the game.

"It's being in the right place at the right time and inheriting a program with players who have talent and potential," Chong said of his success. "I'd have to give the credit to the girls who were willing to buy into my system and play their hearts out."

The Scouts will return two starters from this year's lineup, sophomore guard Arianne Sheka and junior guard Francine Clark.

"When you lose quality players, there is no way your team will operate the same," said Chong. "But there is still a ton of potential and talent that needs to be harnessed. It just depends on how much they want it, how hard they are willing to work and how much they want to commit."

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