The first week of the local high school girls basketball season has faced significant challenges, with a slew of game postponements due to a shortage of referees. This has affected multiple teams and games, leaving fans and athletes disappointed. The Athletic Department Secretary at Mountlake Terrace High School sent out a clear message early in the day on Wednesday, stating that there would be no games that night due to a lack of referees at MLT. While efforts are being made to address the issue, the current situation remains a concern for the rest of the season.

"Local High School Girls Basketball Season Halted by Referee Shortage"

Game Postponements and Their Impact

The first week of the 2024-2025 high school girls basketball season has been marred by a series of game postponements. On Wednesday night, Dec. 4, contests involving Meadowdale, Lynnwood, and Mountlake Terrace high schools were pulled from the schedule. The Mavericks were set to face Kamiak, while Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace were scheduled to host games against Jackson and Mariner respectively. This not only disrupted the teams' plans but also left fans in suspense. Emily Crum Smith's email early in the day confirmed the absence of referees. At Meadowdale and Lynnwood high schools, officials could not be reached for comment to confirm the reasoning for the postponements, but speculation points to a lack of available referees. In addition to Wednesday's games, the Sedro-Woolley at Stanwood girls basketball game scheduled for Monday, Dec. 2, was also postponed. This has had a ripple effect on the local prep girls basketball schedule and raised concerns about the ability to play all games as scheduled.

Efforts to Address the Referee Shortage

Angie McGuire, the Edmonds School District Athletic Director, expressed hope that the current dilemma would not carry over beyond this week. The SCBBO (Snohomish County Basketball Officials Association) is going through a tough time, but new assignors have been put in place. This gives hope that the rest of the season will go smoothly. For years, local referee associations have been calling on new recruits to join and get trained to cover area basketball, football, volleyball, and wrestling contests. Although high school referees are paid for their work, their ranks have been dwindling over the past few years. On nights with a large number of local contests, it can be a challenge to find enough available officials. This was evident in the past fall when a number of local high school volleyball matches had to be postponed and rescheduled due to a shortage of officials.

The Impact on Scheduled Games

As of late Wednesday, a total of 11 girls basketball games involving Wesco League teams were scheduled for the area, but only eight were able to be played. The Meadowdale vs. Kamiak, Jackson vs. Lynnwood, and Mariner vs. Mountlake Terrace games that were postponed on Dec. 4 have yet to be rescheduled. If suitable dates are not found, there is a risk that these games will be canceled outright. This highlights the importance of resolving the referee shortage issue to ensure the completion of the season. The local basketball community is eagerly awaiting a solution to get all the games played as planned and allow the teams to continue their seasons.