PUYALLUP — Arlington broke a 40-year state tournament drought, running out to a 19-point halftime lead and holding on late for a victory over Bellarmine Prep in a 4A state regional game at Puyallup High School on Saturday night.
“Awesome, awesome, awesome,” said Arlington head coach Nick Brown of how he and his team was feeling after the game. “We came out and shot just lights out. We executed in the half-court real well.
“We played as well as we thought we could play all year. It all came together for us.”
The last time Arlington won a state tournament regional game was in 1973 when the Eagles beat Sedro-Woolley 54-48.
Terry Dawn, a 6-foot-5 senior wing, torched Bellarmine for 21 points in the first half on 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. The Eagles shot 9-of-16 as a team from deep in the first half while piling up a 39-20 lead.
“He said ‘I’m not gonna let us lose this game,’” Brown said of Dawn. “He hit a shot from … let’s say 22 feet. It was ridiculous.”
Bellarmine didn’t go quietly, however, holding Arlington (21-3) to one field goal in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 45-35 after three. Mar’kese Jackson’s 3-pointer with 5:04 remaining cut the Arlington lead to 48-39, but the Eagles converted 11 of 16 shots from the line in the fourth quarter to hold on for the win.
Dawn finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Kaleb Bryson added 14.
Sefo Liufau led Bellarmine (16-9) with 14 points before fouling out with just under a minute left. In his final high school game before heading off to Gonzaga, Lucas Meikle had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
At Puyallup H.S.
Arlington1920613—58
Bellarmine Prep1281512—47
Arlington—Kaleb Bryson 14, Terry Dawn 29, Gavin Smoke 1, Shawn Adams 0, Nathan Aune 0, Noah Jones 5, AJ Passalaqua 3, Bradey Brummel 6, Nate Lewis 0, Russell Smithson 0. Bellarmine Prep—Jackson 7, Hickman 2, Liufau 14, Meikle 13, Flynn 11, Hollyoak 0, Salazar 0. 3-point goals—Dawn 6. Records—Arlington 21-3 overall. Bellarmine Prep 16-9.
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