<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2yGDKd_0rLXY8b900" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2yGDKd_0rLXY8b900" width="1200" height="630" >Cutting down the net was how the Quincy boys basketball team planned to finish their Saturday night contest at Wenatchee High School, and that is what they did.As the league champions, they knew they were the best team going into the District 6 1A championship game versus Omak and were ready to accomplish a second goal they had at the beginning of the season: win the district title.“We came out with confidence and did exactly what we were trying to do,” said Quincy head coach Scott Bierlink.They did it through the first three quarters with strong defense and rebounding plus sharp shooting on the other end of the floor, often holding a double-digit lead. In the fourth quarter, Omak kept fighting and took the lead momentarily, but Quincy held on for the 72-71 win.With two titles this season, adding two trophies to Quincy High School’s display cases, the Jacks are now focused on a must-win District 6/7 1A Crossover game Saturday, Feb. 17, at QHS to get into the state tournament. The District 7 opponent had yet to be determined Monday. Quincy earned the home floor advantage by winning Feb. 10 in Wenatchee. The game will start at 6 p.m.The Jacks’ postseason journey began in Round 1 of the District 6 1A tournament Feb. 6 at QHS, hosting the Cashmere Bulldogs. Quincy won 64-60, but it was not easy.First off, they were without Ethan Gregg, a usual starter, who was with the team but not in uniform. Even so, Quincy powered its way on the strength of two back-to-back three-pointers by Pierce Bierlink and two blocked shots by Aidan Bews. Yet, the first quarter ended with Cashmere up, 15-12.Angel Vazquez entered the game and gave the Jacks a shot in the arm by sinking a three-pointer. Teammate Julian Ibarra – a First Team All-League honoree – hit a couple of buckets and then a three-pointer, propelling the Jacks into the lead with two minutes left in the first half, which ended 25-23, the Jacks ahead.The QHS Dance team performed a high-energy routine at halftime, and the QHS band kept the large home crowd pumped up.Back out on the floor, the Jacks turned up the offense and built their lead to 14 points, in part thanks to Dom Trevino, who swished two three-pointers. At the end of the third period, the game looked more like expected, with Quincy leading 49-37.But the Bulldogs were tenacious and fought back to within five points in the fourth quarter, and then within one point with two and a half minutes left. By that time, the fans were roaring with each twist and turn of the play on the court: Bews was fouled on a jump shot and completed a three-point play; Bierlink drained a three; the Quincy bench accidentally got assessed a technical on a jersey change; Trevino dove for a steal but knocked the ball out of bounds; Bews blocked a shot; Johnny Zaragoza got fouled on an inbounds and hit a free throw.At the buzzer, Quincy had its victory, 64-60.Coach Bierlink said the game ended up closer than expected, but the team learned a lot. He added that the home gym atmosphere was fantastic.“Quincy’s been great in coming out and supporting us,” he said.Trevino led Quincy scorers with 18 points and dished out 5 assists. Coach Bierlink pointed out Trevino scored 12 in the third quarter.“Dom was huge for us,” Bierlink said, adding he “hit some big-time shots.”Pierce Bierlink had 14 points and 3 rebounds. Ibarra had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Bews 9 points and 5 rebounds. Vazquez had 8 points.Cashmere had played Quincy tough this season, and the most likely opponent for the Jacks’ next game, in the district title game, appeared to be Chelan, which would not be a pushover either.But, surprisingly, Chelan lost to Omak in the other first-round game – Chelan had not lost to Omak in their three prior meetings this season. Omak’s win set up a rematch of the district title game of last year, when Omak defeated Quincy.This time would be different.Last Saturday, Omak rolled out its usual full-court pressure defense. Early on, the Jacks managed the ball well, but later, the Pioneers’ pressure was a bigger challenge.Bews blocked a shot early and had several on the night. Indeed, Quincy’s defense kept the Pioneers from getting many close shots, and the Jacks cleaned up on defensive rebounding.Bierlink hit two from downtown, 6 of his 8 points, and the Jacks led 19-11 at the end of the first quarter. Quincy was in a powerful groove.But in the opening minute of the second quarter, Bierlink was called for his second foul and went to the bench for about three minutes. Zaragoza came in and hit a bucket, and Vazquez also stepped up with nice shots, scoring a three-pointer while Bierlink was out. Bews also was assessed a second foul, and he was called to the bench.Quincy wasn’t playing its best, and by the end of the second quarter, Omak had narrowed the gap slightly, 35-28.Back out after the halftime break, Quincy starters connected quickly on a pass inside to Bews for a layup. Bierlink picked off a pass, and the Jacks were off to the races again. The Jacks increased their lead to 59-48 at the end of the third.The momentum suddenly changed in the fourth quarter, when Omak went on a 7-0 run. Nabbing steals, Omak whittled the gap down to two points with four minutes and 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter. A bit later, Omak took the lead, 61-59.The final minutes were a rollercoaster for the teams and the crowd, which included a large number of Quincy fans and a large group for Omak. With each dramatic play, the noise level rose in the Wenatchee gym.Highlights that kept the well-earned win for Quincy included Bews – a First Team All-League honoree – driving the lane and sinking a left-handed layup, Bierlink hitting four free throws in a row, and a shot block by Bews. The swat of an Omak shot drew a reaction from the Omak bench, which resulted in a technical foul on Omak.Even as the game became a rollercoaster toward the end and defense wanted, Coach Bierlink had confidence in his team. Still, “those last 20 seconds were pretty nerve-wracking,” he said.Pierce Bierlink had 23 points, including 4 three-pointers, leading the Jacks in points production. Ibarra had 16 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists. Vazquez had 11 points. Bews had 7 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.Helping fill roles Gregg might have filled, Zaragoza provided ball handling and defense. And Vazquez stepped up with scoring. Vazquez, a junior, had not played a lot of minutes for varsity, but he’s now “getting thrown in some big situations,” Coach Bierlink said, hitting some big threes and getting some big rebounds.“He played great for us,” he said.Despite missing a few minutes due to foul trouble, Pierce Bierlink – the league Player of the Year – had a superb night. He went 9 of 10 from the free throw line and kept playing with poise down the stretch.Afterward, the Jacks took turns snipping pieces off the net, ending with the head coach cutting down the rest of the net. Bierlink said there is not a whole lot better in the sport than winning a title and cutting down the net. He was excited for the boys, seeing how much joy it brought them in the end.He and the Jacks have done this before, just two years ago, winning the district title. They have won the league title three years in a row.Now Coach Bierlink looks forward to the district crossover, another big game with a lot riding on it, but at home, thanks to the district title win. The “incredible support” from the community, the cheerleaders, the band, the dance team, everyone involved, is a boost to the team, he said.</div></body>

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Jacks top Cashmere, Omak for District 6 title

Cutting down the net was how the Quincy boys basketball team planned to finish their Saturday night contest at Wenatchee High School, and that is what they did. As the league champions, they knew they were the best team going into the District 6 1A championship game versus Omak and were ready to accomplish a second goal they had at the beginning of the season: win the district title.

Jacks top Cashmere, Omak for District 6 title

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