Elma girls close out Hoquiam, 40-25

By Rick Anderson • January 7, 2017 1:30 am
(Patti Reynvaan) Hoquiam’s Kylee Bagwell blocks Elma’s Molly Johnston’s shot during Friday’s Evergreen 1A League matchup at Hoquiam Square Garden. Johnston still led all scorers with 13 points for Elma.
(Patti Reynvaan) Hoquiam’s Kylee Bagwell blocks Elma’s Molly Johnston’s shot during Friday’s Evergreen 1A League matchup at Hoquiam Square Garden. Johnston still led all scorers with 13 points for Elma.

Elma’s girls found their customary transition game long enough in the third quarter to fend off Hoquiam’s upset bid.

Closing out the third period with 13 successive points, the Eagles went on to beat the Grizzlies, 40-25, in an Evergreen 1A League girls basketball game Friday night at Hoquiam Square Garden.

Sophomore post Molly Johnston, the only player on either team to reach double figures, paced the Eagles with 13 points.

Very impressive with their traditional running game in a blowout victory over Forks Tuesday night, the Eagles (2-0, 6-6) struggled mightily in their half-court offense against a predominantly man-to-man Hoquiam defense.

The Grizzlies (0-2, 4-8) also held their own in rebounding. But they were undone by two season-long maladies — cold shooting and a penchant for fouling.

Hoquiam hit only 17 percent from the field. At that, Elma owned just an 11-10 edge in field goals, but outscored the Grizzlies 17-4 from the foul line.

Up 15-10 following a turnover-laden first half, the Eagles went scoreless for the first 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter. It typified the defensive nature of this contest, however, that the Grizzlies mustered only Casey Mode’s traditional three-point play during this span and never drew even.

With sophomore Kassedy Olson and freshman Kayli Johnson providing some energy off the bench, the Eagles then began forcing turnovers with a trapping defense.

“They changed the intensity of the game,” Elma coach Lisa Johnson said of the reserves. “We got some steals and (transition) baskets. Until then, it was flat.”

Johnston got the roll on a baseline jumper to end Elma’s second-half drought. Kayli Johnson sandwiched three foul shots around a pair of Johnston free throws to make it 22-13 with 2:11 remaining in the third quarter. Baskets by Peyton Elliott and Johnston and foul shots by Brooke Sutherby and Johnston completed the run that gave the visitors a 15-point bulge entering the final stanza.

Although Hoquiam sophomore reserve Kylee Bagwell scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies never came closer than eight in the final eight minutes.

Already missing one starter (Karlie Krohn) due to illness, the Grizzlies had two others (Rylee Vonhof and Brandi Parson) foul out. Vonhof drew her fifth personal at the 2:28 mark of the third quarter.

“I was happy with our defense and I was very happy with our effort,” HHS coach Mark Maxfield said. “We’ve got to quit fouling, because that’s been our M.O. all year.”

Although off her customary form in shooting, Elma’s Elliott amassed 15 rebounds and four steals. Freshman Quin Mikel collected 12 rebounds and five steals, while Johnston blocked five shots for the Eagles.

Mode had six points for Hoquiam.

On Tuesday, the Eagles host traditional rival Montesano while the Grizzlies make the long trek to Forks.

Elma 7 8 13 12 — 40 Hoquiam 5 5 3 12 — 25

Elma (40) — Elliott 6, Sutherby 3, Neary, Mikel 9, Johnston 13, Olson 1, Johnson 3, Heller 3, Rambo 2. FG — 11-39 (.282). FT — 17-26.

Hoquiam (25) — Mode 6, Jump 5, Hernandez 4, Parson, Vonhof 2, Bagwell 8, German, Jade Cox, Jordan Cox. FG — 10-58 (.172). FT — 4-11.

JV — Elma 53, Hoquiam 33.