GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL
Elma 66, Kent Meridian 25
Kali Rambo and Jalyn Sackrider scored 18 points apiece to lead Elma over Kent Meridian 66-25 on Friday in Elma.
Rambo buried four 3-pointers, three in the second quarter, and led the Eagles with six assists and five steals as Elma jumped out to a 26-5 lead after the first quarter.
Jillian Bieker added 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Elma.
The Eagles had 25 assists as a team, led by Kaelyn Burgher’s nine dishes.
Kent Meridian 5 8 2 10 — 25
Elma 26 17 14 9 — 66
Elma 49, Rochester 37
The Elma Eagles wrapped up play at the prestigious Seaside Tournament by downing Rochester 49-37 in the third-place game on Dec. 21 at Seaside High School in Seaside, Oregon.
Kali Rambo and Jalyn Sackrider closed out their stellar tournament runs with solid performances. Rambo, who scored 15 points in a win the previous night over Corbett, scored a game-high 20 points to go along with eight steals. Rambo also hit four 3-pointers to complement Sackrider, who once again was dominant in the paint for Elma.
The 6-foot-3 senior center scored 13 points while grabbing 15 rebounds. Sackrider also collected four steals and three blocks in the Eagles’ 12 point win.
Elma led 17-9 after the first quarter due in large part to Rambo, who hit three 3-point shots and scored 11 of her 20 points in the first eight minutes of the ballgame.
Elma cruised from there, leading 26-10 at the half and taking a 36-19 lead into the fourth quarter as Rochester had no answer for the Eagles defense.
“We had a very solid tournament,” Elma head coach Lisa Johnson said of the Eagles’ Oregon trip.
Elma 17 9 10 13 — 49
Rochester 6 4 9 18 — 37
Willapa Valley 49, Toutle Lake 36
Three Willapa Valley players scored in double figures as the Vikings won their opening game of the Jack Q. Pearson Holiday Classic 49-36 on Friday in Menlo.
Katie Adkins scored a game-high 19 points, including five 3-pointers, and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Vikings, who hit 8-of-20 3-pointers as a team.
Britney Patrick scored 14 points and 10 rebounds and Cami Swartz added 10 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks as the Vikings not only scored from beyond the arc, but at the rim as well.
“Our team attacked the hoop,” Vikings head coach John Peterson said. “Britney (Patrick) in particular. … I was very, very pleased.”
Willapa Valley committed just seven turnovers in the contest and held Toutle Lake to five points in the first quarter and 19 points in the first half.
Toutle Lake 5 14 6 11 — 36
Willapa Valley 11 17 11 10 — 49
Rochester 57, Hoquiam 12
Hoquiam made just one field goal in the contest in a 57-12 loss to Rochester on Friday at Rochester High School.
Paige Winter scored a game-high 23 points for Rochester, which held the Grizzlies to just 15% shooting from the field.
“Offensively, we need to get better,” Hoquiam head coach Chad Allan said. “Rochester gets a lot of credit for making scoring opportunities tough for us, but the truth is we just need to find ways to improve. There are no excuses. This is varsity basketball. We will continue to work at improving on the fundamentals.”
Sharaya Brydon led Hoquiam with five points.
Hoquiam 2 5 1 5 — 12
Rochester 17 16 14 40 — 57
Mossyrock 67, South Bend 25
South Bend had trouble handling Mossyrock’s press defense en route to a 67-25 loss on Friday at the Pe Ell Invitational at Pe Ell High School.
South Bend had trouble handling the press and turned the ball over multiple times according to Indians head coach Randy Carlson.
“I can understand why Mossyrock is leading the Central League. They are quick and love to swarm to the ball,” Carlson said. “We need to work on our ball control and staying calm under a great deal of defensive pressure.”
Caelyn Marshall led Mossyrock with 12 points.
Zaira Medina and Alise Rohr scored six points apiece to lead South Bend.
Chief Leschi 57, Willapa Valley 46
In a rare, uncharacteristic performance, Willapa Valley fell behind by double digits early en route to a 57-46 loss to Chief Leschi on Saturday at Willapa Valley High School.
In a battle for third place in the 2B Pacific League, Willapa Valley fell behind 18-6 by the end of the first quarter in a performance that had Vikings head coach John Peterson perplexed.
“The story of the game was we were not ready to play,” the veteran coach said. “They jumped on us and were real physical to start the game and we did not handle it well. … We’re usually ready to go. That’s not like us.”
Warriors guard Alicia Pluff scored 11 of Chief Leschi’s points in the quarter, including hitting three 3-point shots in the frame as she led the Warriors with 15 points on the evening.
Seven of Willapa Valley’s 15 turnovers were in the first quarter.
Britney Patrick scored 15 points to lead Willapa Valley.
Lanissa Amacher added 11 points for the Vikings, which is now tied for third place in league with the Warriors.
BOYS PREP BASKETBALL
Astoria 51, Elma 34
Elma had trouble scoring in a 51-34 loss to Astoria on Dec. 26 at the Astoria Tournament.
The Eagles shot just 32% from the field, including 2-for-18 from 3-point range (11%), in their lowest offensive output of the season.
“Weird game. We never found much rhythm,” Elma head coach Jeff Niemi said. “We are a little inconsistent right now, so the message is for us to get back to being ourselves.”
Nick Church led Elma with 11 points as no other Elma player scored in double figures.
The Eagles fell behind 28-16 at the half, and faced a 13-point deficit entering the fourth quarter.
Elma 9 7 8 10 — 34
Astoria 12 16 9 14 — 51
Winlock 67, Willapa Valley 63
A clutch 3-pointer in the final minute spoiled Willapa Valley’s furious comeback as the Vikings fell to Winlock 67-63 at the Jack Q. Pearson Holiday Classic on Friday in Menlo.
Willapa Valley dug itself a 51-39 deficit after the third quarter only to rally behind its half-court trap. Led by Kyen Phansisay’s eight points in the fourth quarter, the Vikings used an 18-0 run to take a 63-61 lead in the final minute.
But the Cardinals’ Landon Tiemens, who scored 11 points in the contest, had other ideas. Tiemens buried a 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to regain the lead. Winlock made its free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Vikings head coach Jay Pearson said a lack of intensity in its team defensive scheme was Willapa Valley’s undoing.
“The biggest thing I took from this game was our lack of intensity throughout the night, except in the fourth quarter,” he said. “I was disappointed how our defense played tonight. they didn’t play with intensity and didn’t set the tone.”
Logan Walker led Willapa Valley with 25 points.
