Small school received a home game at state tournament, and thrilled their fans with a victory

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

One of the smallest schools in Clark County hosted one of the biggest basketball games in program history Tuesday night.

The state basketball tournament arrived at Columbia Adventist Academy.

And the CAA community arrived, as well, in full support of the Kodiaks.

“I thought our last game was my last home game. We had senior night,” said senior Collin Delaney, who scored 19 points in leading Columbia Adventist to a 43-30 victory over Mount Vernon Christian. “Just to know we had this opportunity to play at home, in front of all of these fans here, it just felt great.”

“A tournament game here? We don’t think that’s ever happened,” Columbia Adventist Academy coach Doug Schmidt said. 

Gene Heinrich, the principal at CAA, said his son, Ethan, a basketball player, was following social media when the seeds were announced by the WIAA on Sunday.

“He said, ‘Dad, we’re going to host.’ And I said, ‘How can we host a game?’” Gene recalled. 

The Kodiaks play in Class 1B, one of two classifications that have 20 teams in the state basketball tournament. That means that teams seeded 13 through 20 have to compete in an opening round prior to the final 16 at regional sites. And the teams seeded 13 through 16 get home games. 

Columbia Adventist got the 16-seed to the Class 1B tournament. The CAA community responded. The small set of bleachers was close to capacity. And other fans were seated, or standing, along the baselines. 

This gym at the academy is relatively new. The old one “wasn’t anything to write home about,” the principal said. There was barely any space from the out-of-bounds line to the walls. 

The new gym opened in 2019, and there is plenty of room for a small school and its fans.

The community appreciated the seed for the boys basketball team, and the home game.

“We’re excited to highlight a little secret here in Clark County, our school,” Gene Heinrich said. 

Columbia Adventist took the lead for good midway through the first quarter. The Kodiaks had such a big lead that they didn’t even make a field goal in the fourth quarter and still managed a double-digit victory. The Kodiaks now advance to the state regional round of 16, where they will travel to take on No. 9 Tulalip Heritage at 8 p.m. Saturday at Arlington High School. 

Sports are just part of the entire package at Columbia Adventist Academy.

“For us, the secret to success … it’s about more than the game and it’s about more than the academics,” the principal said. “It’s about the whole person. We really want to focus on creating lifelong learners and educating kids for eternity.”

Once a Columbia Adventist Academy student, always a Columbia Adventist Academy family member.

The head coach? A former student. The athletic director? A former student.

And the senior who led to Kodiaks in scoring on Tuesday? He said he will always be a Kodiak, too.

“It’s always been a tight-knit community,” Delaney said. “It’s always felt that when I left home (to go to school), I was coming to a second home.”

There is a special bond among classmates, and their teachers and coaches.

“It’s a joy to coach these guys,” Schmidt said. “There are no egos. They are out there supporting each other.”

Soon after the post-game handshakes with their opponents, the Kodiaks ran through a “tunnel” of fans for high-fives and one final salute to their victory. 

It turns out, that is a tradition at the school. The fans line up to support the players. Always.

Only this time, the group of fans was a little bit larger than the usual crowd.

After all, this was the night the state tournament came to Columbia Adventist Academy in Battle Ground. 

Class 3A girls basketball:

Evergreen also hosted a state tournament game Tuesday as the 16-seed in the Class 3A girls basketball tournament. Eastside Catholic, No. 17, had a strong defensive performance and topped the Plainsmen 57-37. Evergreen’s season came to an end.