SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - The nation’s best girls varsity basketball team is from right here in the Inland Northwest!
The Central Valley High School girls basketball team brought home a state title and a national one.
Monday afternoon, they were honored with the Army National Guard national ranking trophy for their amazing talent and hard work.
The Bears went 29 and 0 this season, making it all the way to the GEICO High School National championship. They brought home the title and beat out number one seeded Hamilton Christian Academy from Tennessee.
In the gym back at CVHS on Monday, the stand erupted into cheers as each girl’s name was called, each one of the a part of a remarkable team.
“It’s breathtaking to see how many people there are who are rooting you on and celebrating what you accomplished,” Lacie Hull, a CVHS senior basketball player said.
After their performance at nationals, it was no surprise they were awarded the national ranking trophy. It's part of the 13th Annual MaxPreps Tour of Champions. The team finished number one in the Xcellent 25 final rankings of its sportswriters, and is one of 10 girls teams being honored on this season's tour.
For the CVHS head coach, Freddie Rehkow, the national title is even more meaningful.
He recently announced he is retiring after 21 years of coaching the team.
“[I’m] grateful for the opportunity to be there and in this position and see these girls be recognized for their hard work,” he said Monday. “What an amazing way for me to go out. To be able to ride it out with these girls and see their success…I couldn’t have asked for a better way for my career to personally end.”
It was the perfect end to a perfect season.
“I don’t think we could’ve asked for a better ending,” Hull said.
Congrats, team!