Yakima Valley signs Colfax MVP

Kylie Shaw, voted team MVP by her teammates after Colfax won an unprecedented fourth consecutive state basketball championship last March, has signed a letter of intent with Yakima Valley Community College.

Yaks coach Cody Butler announced the signing Wednesday.

A 5-foot-9 guard, Shaw averaged 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game for the Bulldogs, who capped a 29-2 season with their title-game win over King's at the
SunDome.

"Kylie is a great fit for our style of play at Yakima," Butler said in a college press release. "She is a gifted player, but aso takes tremendous pride in her defense. Kylie has learned the game from one of the best high school coaches in the state."

Corey Baerlocher, who has guided Colfax to each of its successive state crowns, said Shaw could easily have posted more impressive individual numbers during her career, but sacrificed them for the benefit of the team.

"While Kylie is an extremely gifted offensive player, her selflessness has allowed her team to focus her energies on defending the other team's top players. For the past four years she has defended the state's top players."

Shaw and teammate Lauren Mellor are the only Washington prep basketball players, regardless of gender or classification, to have won 16 consecutive state tournament games and four consecutive state championships.

"Her success at the high school level is unparalleled," Butler said, "and her championship experience will pay dividends for us in the years to come."

Earlier this spring, the Yaks signed point guard Katie Harris of Chelan.