“Many of the Bainbridge faithful who made the long drive to Pacific Lutheran University Tuesday, for the first-round girls’ basketball playoff game against Franklin Pierce, were squirming as the first quarter ended. The Spartans had gone scoreless for the final four minutes, and an 8-0 lead turned into a 9-8 deficit on a Cardinal hoop with 10 seconds left.But Courtney Kimball opened the second quarter with a trey, and the Spartans never trailed again en route to a 56-30 thumping. The win set up last night’s game against White River, which struggled before beating Sequim 56-45 in a later game.A Spartan win over White River would give Bainbridge a state berth as the No. 1 seed from District 3, while a loss would mean an 8:30 p.m. game tonight against either Franklin Pierce or Sequim for the district’s other state slot.Christine Schwager scored six of the Spartans’ first eight points, as the Cardinals didn’t get on the board until 3:46 of the opening quarter.We might have relaxed a little, co-captain Emily Pierce said. But falling behind made us play harder.After Kimball’s big hoop, Pierce put in an inbounds pass for a 13-9 lead. Following a Franklin Pierce basket, the Spartans went on an eight-point run in less than a minute that began with Alice Russell feeding Pierce for a three-point play. Kimball drilled another trey and Fab Rezayat went the length of the court for a lay-in for a 21-11 lead. After two exchanges of baskets, Pierce hit a three-foot bank shot and Rezayat added a three-point play to extend the lead to 28-15 at the 3-minute mark. But the Spartans again went scoreless for the rest of the quarter and another late Cardinal hoop narrowed the halftime margin to 28-20, occasioning further fidgeting on the Bainbridge side.Russell fed Pierce for a three-foot turnaround to open the third quarter and after Franklin Pierce answered, Russell hit a jumper and then a layin, Schwager added an eight-foot jumper and Pierce drove for a layin to make the score 38-22 halfway through the quarter. Russell fed Pierce again coming down the lane to make the score 40-24 at the 2:15 mark as neither team scored again.The Cardinals closed to within 42-30 at 6:54 of the final quarter, but Jenny Maurer launched a 14-point Spartan run with a seven-foot jumper 40 seconds later. A minute later Morgan Zajonc fed her near the basket, and she dished off to a wide-open Rezayat for yet another three-point play. Maurer hit a free throw, Kimball drained her third trey of the evening, and Russell was fouled on a lay-in and sank the free throw for a 54-30 margin. Angela Asher’s six-footer from the left side closed out the scoring as everyone who suited for the Spartans got into the game.Our defense really controlled the game, especially in the second half, coach Penny Gienger said. We held them to 30 points in the game and I’ll take that any day.I thought we played a good game. I was pleased.Pierce had a game-high 15 points. Russell and Kimball each had nine, while Rezayat and Schwager added eight apiece.Russell pulled down 10 rebounds and had six assists, while Rezayat had nine boards, a season and lifetime best.Pierce now has 700 points in her high school career to rank No. 11 on the all-time Spartan scoring list. She’s within sight of No. 10, Rachel Scott, who has 744.Pierce, Whedbee earn all-league honorsSpartans Emily Pierce and Zach Whedbee were named to the All-Olympic League first teams, and boys’ basketball coach Jeff Eller shared coach of the year honors as league coaches announced their selections. Olympic League GirlsMVP: Lindsay Sather (Port Angeles), Jr.First TeamC Emily Pierce (Bainbridge) Sr.F Adria Layne (C. Kitsap) So.F Megan Thompson (Sequim) So.G Mandy Wood (Pt. Angeles) Jr.G Leanne Felts (Pt. Townsend) Sr.Second TeamC Cassie Llewellyn (C. Kitsap) Sr.G Nicole Zygmontowicz (C. Kitsap) So.G Fab Rezayat (Bainbridge) Jr.G Mari McKinstry (N. Kitsap) Sr.G Ashley Payne (Port Angeles) So.Bainbridge Honorable Mention: Alice Russell. Bainbridge All-Academic Selection: Christine Schwager.Co-Coaches of the Year: Denise Baxter (Central Kitsap), Erik Wiker (Sequim).Olympic League BoysCo-MVPs: Chris Pendleton (Sequim), Sr., and James McCutcheon (Sequim), Sr.First TeamC Brian Haupt (North Kitsap) Jr.G Marc McNall (North Kitsap) Jr.F Zach Whedbee (Bainbridge) Sr.F Sam Flemister (Bremerton) Sr.G Tyler Millet (Sequim) Sr.Second TeamG Casey Manchester (Olympic) Sr.G Geoff Kelstrup (Olympic) Jr.F Teddy Picha (Bainbridge) Jr.F Kellen Alley (Bremerton) Jr.G Michael Stitt (Bremerton) Jr.F Matt Sinnes (Port Angeles) So.C Brandon Robichaux (Pt. Townsend) Sr.Bainbridge Honorable Mention: Nick Thompson, Mike Botefuhr. Co-Coaches of the Year: Brian Roper (Sequim), Jeff Eller (Bainbridge).Bainbridge All-Academic Selection: Zach Whedbee. “