The race for first place in the 2B Pacific League heated up on Tuesday as Raymond shot to the top of the heap with a 64-41 Senior Night win over Forks on Tuesday at Raymond High School.

With the Seagulls needing a win to keep pace with Forks and Ilwaco atop the league, Raymond surged out to a 20-10 lead after one period, paced by sophomore MVP-candidate Karsyn Freeman’s 12 points in the frame.

The Gulls (13-4 overall, 9-2 2B Pacific) led 34-23 at the half and ramped up the defense over the final 16 minutes of the game, holding Forks (11-5, 8-2) to nine points in each of the final two quarters.

“Senior nights are always a challenge and our kids really channeled their emotions in to a competitive advantage,” Raymond head coach Jason Koski said. “Them executing the game plan well gave them confidence to just play free.”

PHOTO BY LARRY BALE Raymond’s Megan Kongbouakhay (3) celebrates with teammate Kassie Koski (21) after the Seagulls defeated Forks 64-41 on Tuesday in Raymond.

Freeman scored 26 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals to lead the Seagulls.

Kassie Koski came off the bench for Raymond and scored 23 points, grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and dished out four assists.

Junior Paige Williams scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds while senior Alia Enlow added four points for Raymond, which outrebounded the Spartans 35-31 and had 15 assists on 25 field goals.

“Second half defensively, we were really solid and disciplined,” Coach Koski said. “Loved how we rebounded tonight versus a physical Forks team. … Having 15 assists on 25 field goals is a good recipe for success on offense.”

With the win, Raymond holds a slim half-game lead over Forks and a one-game lead over Ilwaco for first place in the league standings. All three teams have two league losses and the Seagulls have split the season-series with both the Spartans and Fishermen.

The Seagulls play at North Beach at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Forks 10 13 9 9 — 41

Raymond 20 14 17 13 — 64

Scoring: Forks — K. Johnson 16, Wood 10, Neel 7, Gaydeski 4, Ramos 4. Raymond — Freeman 26, Kassie Koski 23, Williams 7, Enlow 4, Kongbouakhay 2, Kyndal Koski 2.

Aberdeen 64, Rochester 27

Aberdeen locked up third place in the 2A Evergreen League with a 64-24 victory over Rochester on Tuesday at Rochester High School.

The Bobcats (12-4, 7-3 2A Evergreen) jumped out to a 19-3 lead in the first quarter thanks in large part to standout senior guard Maddie Gore, who scored 15 of her game-high 26 points in the period.

Leading 26-10 at halftime, Aberdeen put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors (4-10, 3-7) 22-6 led by junior forward Jaylynn Phimmasone’s seven points in the frame.

“Our goal was to control the tempo of the game,” Aberdeen head coach Rachel Wenzel said. “Our guards did a great job of trapping and swarming their guards and creating havoc.”

Gore (26 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals) and Phimmasone (13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) led Aberdeen in scoring while Zoe Troeh (7 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds) and Annie Troeh (6 points, 5 steals, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) were credited by Wenzel for their play on defense.

Aberdeen now holds a comfortable 3.5 game lead over Shelton with two league games left on the Bobcats schedule.

Aberdeen will face off against Hoquiam in a Myrtle Street Rivalry game at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Hoquiam Square Garden.

Aberdeen 19 7 22 16 — 64

Rochester 3 7 6 11 — 27

Scoring: Aberdeen — Gore 26, Phimmasone 13, Z. Troeh 7, A. Troeh 6, Hood 4, Yakovich 3, Lamont 2. Rochester — Haury 7, Hoover 5, Angwood 5, Stull 4, Winter 4, Andrez-Cordell 2.

South Bend 55, Ocosta 31

South Bend got a much-needed league victory with a 55-31 win over Ocosta on Tuesday in Westport.

South Bend (3-13, 2-8 2B Pacific) held leads of 15-9 after one quarter, 30-16 at the half and 42-23 entering the final period of play en route to the win.

South Bend’s Avalynn Stigall (17 points), Raydynn Morley (13 points) and Ava Pine (12 points) each scored in double figures.

“This was a big league win for us, keeping our hopes of being eligible for the district tournament alive,” South Bend head coach Jon Schray said. “We played a very balanced game tonight and got some big buckets from our eighth-grade starter Avalyn Stigall.”

Ocosta freshman Anna Davis led all scorers with 22 points.

The Wildcats (5-11, 3-8), which have been beset by a rash of illness and injuries as of late, sit in fifth place in the league standings and will face Ilwaco at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

South Bend is a half-game back of Ocosta in sixth place and will take on Chief Leschi at 7 p.m. Thursday at South Bend High School.

South Bend 15 15 12 13 — 55

Ocosta 9 7 7 8 — 31

Scoring: South Bend — Makaylee Kuiken 2, Elli Capps 4, Berklee Morley 3, Avalyn Stigall 17, Raydynn Morley 13, Ava Pine 12, Sophia Markwell 4. Ocosta — Rasmus 3, Davis 22, M. Ness 3, Morris 3.

Other scores

Chief Leschi 58, North Beach 27

Mary M. Knight 54, Wishkah Valley 10

Oakville 55, North River 33

Ilwaco 54, Taholah 38 (Monday)