STATE BASKETBALL: Warriors beat Norfolk, win Class A state title

For only the second time ever and the first time since 1999, the Westside girls varsity basketball team is the state champion.

“It feels like a dream come true,” senior Jay Bridgeman said. “… Definitely the best day of my life so far.”

After winning its first two state tournament games by double digits — first 55-40 over Millard West Thursday then 61-49 over Lincoln Northeast Friday — the third-seeded Warriors beat eighth-seeded Norfolk in the same fashion, this time 53-40, in the state tournament championship game today, March 7.

Unlike its previous four postseason games, Westside didn’t use a big quarter to take a big lead. Tonight, it was a case of wearing down the Panthers to get that lead.

After one quarter, the Warriors trailed 10-7. Westside missed all of its three-point attempts, and Norfolk finished the quarter on a 4-0 run.

In the second, Westside couldn’t get its three-point shot going — a surprise for a team that hit seven through two quarters just a night before — but it didn’t matter. From 6:17 remaining to 3:05 remaining in the quarter, Westside went on an 11-1 run as freshman Quinn Weidemann, Bridgeman, senior Jenn Poots and junior Maya Solarana all scored.

With that run, Westside flipped the three-point deficit after one into a four-point lead, 20-16, heading into halftime. Bridgeman led the Warriors with seven points after two.

In the third quarter, senior Regan Johnson extended the lead by knocking down Westside’s first three-pointer of the game, putting Westside up 23-16.

Minutes later, Westside’s lead was out to double digits. Weidemann and Poots both scored, and Westside found itself up 27-16 with 5:46 remaining in the third quarter.

But the Panthers weren’t done. Over the last three minutes of the quarter, Norfolk cut the lead to 31-25. That score remained going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, the Warriors traded baskets with the Panthers before Bridgeman completed a conventional three-point play to give Westside a 36-28 lead with five minutes remaining.

Norfolk then cut the lead to five with just over three minutes remaining. But from here, it became a make-free-throws-to-win game for Westside. And Weidemann made a lot of those winning free throws.

After Bridgeman and Poots each hit two free throws, Weidemann went on a streak of four straight trips to the line. From 1:37 remaining to 1:04 remaining, the freshman point guard went seven of eight from the line, putting Westside ahead 50-40 with 1:04 remaining.

Norfolk never recovered, and the Warriors were hoisting a state championship trophy minutes later.

Bridgeman finished the game with 16 points to lead the Warriors. She tacked on nine rebounds, as well.

“I knew this was the last game I would ever play as a Warrior regardless of what happened so I left it all out on the court and had fun with my teammates,” Bridgeman said. “And now we’re state champions.”

Weidemann finished with 14 and Poots had 13. Poots also corralled eight rebounds. Jaycee Bradley led Norfolk with 17 points.

Westside finishes the season 24-4 and improves its state tournament championship game record to 2-1. Norfolk will finish 15-13. This was Norfolk’s first trip to the state tournament championship game since 2000.

The Westside Wired staff would like to congratulate the girls varsity basketball team on its state championship victory. We enjoyed covering you throughout the season, and we’re glad it ended on a high note.