BY OLY ARCHIBALD
UNDATED — March Madness is officially here, and two former Peninsula Pirates are playing in the NCAA tournament.
Ituau Tuisaula and her No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks will travel to South Bend, Indiana, to take on No. 3 seed Notre Dame.
Former Pirate Ituau Tuisaula and the No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks will face No. 3 seed Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament.
Former Pirate Javon Ervin and his No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers will have a play-in game against American University on Wednesday at 3:40 p.m. on TruTV. Ervin has played in 32 games, starting in 12. He is averaging 5 points per game and has recorded five double-digit scoring performances, with a high of 14 points against Fairfield.
Former Pirate Javon Ervin and his Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers will take on American University on Wednesday in the NCAA tournament.
The Peninsula Pirates saw their outstanding season come to an end at the NWAC Final Four, falling 80-63 to a hot-shooting Lane Titans team. The Titans shot 60% from the three-point line, earning 36 of their points from long distance. The Pirates, in contrast, went just 2-for-13 from beyond the arc and shot 37% from the field. Lexie Mackey and Alecisis Smith led the Pirates with 15 points each, while Ciera Agasiva added 14.
Meanwhile, Lane struggled from deep in the NWAC Championship game, shooting just 26% (6-for-23) from three-point range and losing to Walla Walla, 65-58. Against Walla Walla, only one Lane starter scored in double figures, while all five did so against Peninsula.
The Pirates lost to Walla Walla 57-55 in the second game of the year in Pasco. They end their season with a 24-3 record.
Former Roughrider and Pirate Millie Long saw her outstanding basketball career come to an end as the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves lost to No. 1 seed Cal State Dominguez Hills, 62-60, on Cal State’s home court in the second round of the NCAA Division II West Regional.
In high school soccer action, East Jefferson defeated Port Angeles 2-1. Mathew Miller and Kanyon Anderson scored for the Roughriders. The Roughriders travel to North Mason tomorrow.
In fastpitch, Sequim lost a doubleheader to Forks, falling 19-1 and 18-9. Port Angeles defeated Lynden 10-0 behind a complete-game performance from Heidi Leitz. Abby Kimball went 2-for-2 with a single, a double, and three runs scored.
The Roughriders also beat Lynden Christian 8-3. Lynzee Reid earned the win, pitching four innings. Morgan Politika went 2-for-4 with a double, a single, an RBI, and a run scored. Lynzee Reid went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBIs. Kennedy Rognlien had a strong game, going 3-for-4 with three singles, two runs scored, and an RBI.
Port Angeles shortstop Morgan Politika and the Roughriders earned wins over Lynden and Lynden Christian.