TACOMA - Rapidly developing youth and experience blended together again on Thursday when the Evergreen Lutheran girls basketball team cut down host Mount Rainier Lutheran 51-21 in SeaTac League Class 2B action at Meier Gymnasium.

Continuing their ascent from a slow beginning of the season, the excelling Eagles (10-1 league, 13-6 overall) are poised for the playoffs and a seventh consecutive run to state with confidence heading into a Tuesday (after press time) showdown with league unbeaten King's West at Chief Leschi Schools. The winner of that game earns the No. 1 seed into Western bi-district and a Tuesday play date at Chief Leschi. This Thursday, the loser hosts a bi-district match.

"We started the season off slowly," explained Evergreen Lutheran head coach Jeff Kurbis. "We were shooting 25 percent from the field and were not playing well. Our four holdovers from last year's district champions and third place state team were a little upset and were determined to teach the new girls. We have new thinking this year. We're effective when we're fast and relentless with our pressure. The players learned to shoot better with a breakdown of their shots. Now we shoot 40 per cent. When you do that, you can win a lot of games."

Relentless pressure, forced turnovers and pounding the boards are what blew the Hawks away early.

Junior Kelsey Andrade unloaded a 3-point missile to touch off leads of 11-2 and 21-6. As the game developed, the lightning-like Eagles substituted liberally and still grew their lead to 33 points at one juncture before settling for the final margin.

After being tutored and playing with great senior leaders last season, the players returning from last year have evolved into leaders. Three of the returners expressed their views of the changes.

"It's nice to have a new role of leadership," stated Grace Lorette. "We have to step up and train the other players more. We've really been learning to work more with the others as a team."

Lorette led all scorers with 10 points while also snaring seven rebounds and stealing the ball nine times.

The athlete that began the fireworks also relishes her greater role of leadership.

"A lot of us are pumped to try and get the younger girls read," said junior D'Andrade, who scored five points. "The coach demands a lot of us and helps us get to the next level. From day one, our goal has been state. It's exciting."

Ashley Daniels gave her position, also.

"We're quicker than last year and still ready to win," she declared. "We give 100 per cent whether it is practice or in the games. We work hard on pushing the ball up the court."

On this night, Evergreen Lutheran shot 37 per cent while distributing the scoring around 10 of the 13 who played.

In addition to the players mentioned, Grace Bender scored eight points while hauling in five rebounds while reserve Melanie Laete tallied eight points.