For the Montesano High School boys basketball program, Monday was filled with highs and lows.
The day started out with Mike Stoddard stepping down as Bulldogs head coach, resigning after an 0-6 start to the season.
Stoddard, a longtime Montesano assistant coach and former head coach at Aberdeen, took the job in July after former Monte head coach Doug Galloway stepped down after eight years as head coach.
Stoddard was replaced by Doug Farmer, a part-time volunteer coach who has previously coached Montesano’s junior varsity and C-squads as well as Aberdeen’s C-Squad.
With Farmer at the helm on Monday night, Montesano broke through for its first win of the season, beating Centralia 81-74 in triple overtime at Montesano High School.
The Bulldogs (1-6 overall) and Tigers (3-4) were tied at 56-56 after four quarters of play and needed multiple overtime periods to determine the outcome.
Led by senior forward Caydon Lovell, Montesano outscored Centralia 12-5 in the third overtime to pick up the victory, its first in seven games this season.
“It was a pretty crazy day,” Farmer said. “Lots of emotion, but the kids played hard and played well.”
Lovell scored a game high 32 points, 21 of those in the fourth quarter and overtime periods.
“He put us on his back and carried us to victory,” Farmer said of Monte’s leading scorer and lone senior on the roster.
Sophomore forward Tyce Peterson scored 16 points, 13 coming in the first half to help give Monte a 33-26 at the break.
Five Centralia players scored in double figures, led by Landon Kaut’s 20 points.
Montesano hosts North Beach on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Centralia 10 16 19 11 7 6 5 — 74
Montesano 14 19 7 16 7 6 12 — 81
Scoring
Centralia (74) — Kaut 20, Cole Wasson 17, Jayden Pannette 12, Rex Akins 11, Brandon Yeung 10
Montesano (81) — Lovell 32, Peterson 16, Trent Adams 8, Chris Olsen 8, Camden Taylor 6, Jackson Busz 5, Soren Cobb 4, Jaxson Wilson 2
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Taholah 49, Hoquiam 46
A big fourth-quarter performance led Taholah to a 49-46 victory over Hoquiam on Tuesday afternoon in Hoquiam.
Leading 23-21 at the half, Taholah (1-4) saw its lead evaporate as Hoquiam (4-2) erupted for 18 points in the third quarter, led by junior point guard Graci Bonney-Spradlin’s seven points, as the Grizzlies took a 39-32 lead into the final period.
But with Natayla Russell and Ashley Hidalgo scoring five points apiece over the final eight minutes, the Chitwhins outscored Hoquiam 17-7 to earn its first victory of the season.
“We just could not gain any momentum in the fourth quarter after a string in the third.” Hoquiam head coach Chad Allan said. “Taholah really took it to us in that last frame, inside and out. We are still trying to learn from our mistakes.”
Senior center Nakeah McCrory led Taholah with 12 points followed closely by Russell with 11.
Senior guard Chali Sampson-Eastman led Hoquiam with 14 points and 11 rebounds while senior forward Kamryn Krohn also scored in double digits with 11 points.
Taholah outrebounded Hoquiam by 21 as the Grizzlies shot 17-for-66 (26%) from the floor and committed 18 turnovers.
Taholah is set to play against North Beach at 1 p.m. while Hoquiam plays at La Center at 5:30 p.m. Both games are scheduled for Wednesday.
Taholah 14 9 9 17 — 49
Hoquiam 7 14 18 7 — 46
Scoring
Taholah (49) — Nakeah McCrory 12, Natayla Russell 11, Noelani McCrory 8, Ashley Hidalgo 7, Precious Crossguns 6, Keeliana McCrory 5
Hoquiam (46) — Sampson-Eastman 14, Krohn 11, Graci Bonney-Spradlin 7, Ella Folkers 6, Ashlinn Cady 4, Katie Burnett 2, Lynell Franks 2
Montesano 59, Adna 53
Montesano got big games from its top scorers en route to a 59-53 overtime victory over Adna on Tuesday in Adna.
Senior power forward Paige Lisherness scored 25 points while junior small forward McKynnlie Dalan added 21 points as Montesano overcame a hot-shooting Pirates team for the victory.
Monte (7-1) led 12-18 at the half but couldn’t hold the lead as the two teams were locked in a 51-51 tie at the conclusion of regulation.
But on the back of a lockdown defense in overtime, the Bulldogs outscored the Pirates (4-4) 8-2 in the overtime period to earn what Monte head coach Mark Mansfield dubbed “a tough road victory.”
“It was a very hard-fought game,” Mansfield said. “Adna shot the ball very well and they just would not go away.”
Montesano outrebounded Adna 33-17, led by Lisherness and Dalan, who grabbed 14 and 13 boards, respectively.
Lisherness added nine steals to her statline with sophomore guard Mikalya Stanfield adding six steals for Montesano.
Montesano outrebounded Adna 33-17.
Montesano’s next game is slated for 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 30 at Rainier.
Montesano 10 13 14 14 8 — 59
Adna 10 8 18 15 2 — 53
Scoring
Montesano (59) — Lisherness 25, Dalan 21, Vanna Prom 7, Maia Young 3, Olivia Young 2, Stanfield 1
Adna (53) — N/A
Willapa Valley 54, South Bend 35
Willapa Valley’s Lanissa Amacher scored a season-high to lead the Vikings to a 54-35 victory over South Bend on Tuesday in South Bend.
Amacher scored 31 points on 9-of-14 (64%) shooting from the field and a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line.
Willapa Valley (4-3) trailed 13-8 after the first quarter but got hot in the second, scoring 19 points to take a 27-18 lead at halftime.
Chayse Coady had seven points and three rebounds while Brooklyn Patrick scored four points and led Willapa Valley with four assists.
“Anytime you can go into South Bend and get a 20-point win, you should be very happy,” Vikings head coach John Peterson said. “The kids played very, very hard and I love them for it.”
Willapa Valley will host the Jack Q. Pearson Holiday Classic Invitational at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 29 against Toutle Lake.
The Vikings will face Adna at 5 p.m. the following day.
Willapa Valley 8 19 13 14 — 54
South Bend 13 5 7 10 — 35
Scoring
Willapa Valley (54) — Amacher 31, Coady 7, Ana Chavez 6, Patrick 4, Hadlee Russell 2, Hannah Hamilton 2, Lauren Emery 2
South Bend (35) — N/A
Other scores
Men’s College Basketball
NWAC Crossover Tournament (Friday-Sunday)
Spokane 95, Grays Harbor 75
Edmonds 89, Grays Harbor 77
Clackamas 98, Grays Harbor 72
