Aberdeen’s girls hoops team defeated Tumwater for the first time in a long time on Friday.
The Bobcats victory leads our coverage of Friday’s Twin Harbors basketball games.
GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL
Aberdeen 38, Tumwater 32
Simply put, if Aberdeen wanted to earn one of the coveted 2A Evergreen Conference’s four District 4 playoff spots, the Bobcats had to beat a team it hadn’t defeated in 10 years.
Aberdeen ensured history had no affect on Friday’s game.
A key steal and layup from freshman guard Sophia Knutson followed by two key free throws down the stretch gave Aberdeen a 38-32 victory over Tumwater at Tumwater High School.
It was the first victory for the Bobcats over the Thunderbirds since Jan. 28, 2014, snapping a 12-game losing streak against Tumwater.
Aberdeen (10-6 overall, 4-5 2A Evergreen) got out to a 13-2 lead after one quarter thanks in large part to the execution of head coach Curtis Eccles’ press defense.
Tumwater (8-7, 6-3) cut the Cats’ lead to 30-25 at the end of the third quarter and got to within a point when senior forward Kendall Gjurasic scored to make it a 33-32 game with two minutes left in the game.
After an Aberdeen turnover had the Cats faced with the possibility of losing their lead, Bobcats freshman guard Sophia Knutson made the biggest play of her season.
Knutson stole the ball and raced down court to score on a coast-to-coast layup to put Aberdeen up 35-32 with 1:30 left to play.
Tumwater failed to score on its next possession and was forced to foul after Aberdeen secured the rebound.
Bobcats senior Jaylynn Phimmasone and Knutson each hit 1-of-2 free throws in the game’s waning moments to seal the 38-32 victory.
“It was phenomenal,” said Eccles, who added the energy of his entire team – from the bench to the floor – was a key component in the victory. “All 12 of the girls contributed in this just with their energy. The girls just played hard.”
As per usual, the Bobcats were paced by high-energy standout senior guard Annie Troeh, who led the Cats with 13 points.
Twin sister Zoe Troeh was credited by Eccles for playing stellar defense on high-scoring guard Rhylee Beebe, holding the T-Birds sophomore to two points on the evening.
DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Aberdeen senior Zoe Troeh, seen here in a file photo, played a key role in the Bobcats’ 38-32 win over Tumwater on Friday in Tumwater. The win was the first for the Cats over the T-Birds since 2014.
Aberdeen freshman Bentley Brown added eight points with both Knutson (7 points, 10 rebounds) and Phimmasone (6 pts., 10 reb.) recording double-digit rebounds as the Bobcats had 37 rebound as a team.
The victory combined with Centralia’s upset victory over Rochester – the first league win for the Tigers in two seasons – means Aberdeen now sits alone in fourth place, one game up on Rochester (8-8, 3-6).
With three league games left on its schedule, Aberdeen can go a long way toward locking up a playoff spot when it faces Rochester at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Rochester High School.
Aberdeen 13 8 9 8 – 38
Tumwater 2 10 13 7 – 32
Scoring: Aberdeen – A. Troeh 13, Brown 8, Knutson 7, Phimmasone 6, Z. Troeh 2, Lamont 2. Tumwater – Gjurasic 14, Sumrok 5, Lee 5, Beebe 2.
Elma 45, Hoquiam 28
Elma took a big step toward securing a league playoff spot with a 45-28 victory over Hoquiam on Friday at Hoquiam High School.
The Eagles (6-11, 3-2 1A Evergreen) took a 22-8 lead at the half after outscoring Hoquiam (3-11, 1-3) 14-3 in the second quarter as five different Eagles scored in the frame.
Elma put the game away with a 16-9 third quarter, led by six points from freshman post Keke Bol, to take a commanding 38-17 lead into the final period.
Bol led Elma with 12 points followed by senior Malia Sibbett with 11.
The Eagles shot 32% from the field on 17-of-52 shooting and benefited from 36 Hoquiam turnovers.
The Grizzlies were led by Lexi LaBounty with nine points and hit 9-of-45 shots as a team (20%).
“(Elma head coach) Brandi Henry and the Elma Eagles came to compete and we did not match their intensity,” Hoquiam head coach Chad Allan said. “There is just no way the math can work out in a team’s favor if we turn the ball over 36 times and shoot 20%.”
Hoquiam honored five seniors on Senior Night.
“We were able to celebrate our five seniors Ellie Graham, Dylan Little, Briana Herrera, Avery Howard and Bailey Stephens,” Allan said. “We appreciate all they bring to the team.”
Elma sits 1.5 games up on Hoquiam for third place in the 1A Evergreen League.
The Grizzlies hosts Eatonville in a league matchup set for 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Eagles play at Montesano at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Elma 8 14 16 7 – 45
Hoquiam 5 3 9 10 – 27
Scoring: Elma – Bol 12, M. Sibbett 11, Monroe 5, E. Sibbett 4, Lewis 4, Moore 4, Spencer 3, Aal. Weld 2. Hoquiam – LaBounty 9, Gordon 7, Brodhead 3, Little 3, Stewart, Graham 2.
Montesano 64, Tenino 22
Montesano all but locked up the 1A Evergreen League title with a 64-22 win over Tenino on Friday at Tenino High School.
The Bulldogs (9-7, 5-0 1A Evergreen) dominated from the start, jumping out to a 25-3 first-quarter lead thanks to their pressure defense.
Monte extended its lead to 43-11 by halftime as the rout was on against the last-place Beavers (2-16, 0-5).
“We got off to a really good start,” Monte head coach Mark Mansfield said. “The defense did a really nice job of creating turnovers. We moved the ball really well and it was a really good team effort tonight.”
Bulldogs sophomore forward and all-state candidate Jillie Dalan scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double.
Freshman point guard Tieander Olson added 11 points, eight steals and five assists for Montesano, which shot 28 of 61 from the floor (46%) and outrebounded Tenino 29-14.
Monte’s trend of playing tough non-league opponents continues when the Bulldogs face 4A Olympia at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday in Olympia.
Montesano 25 18 13 8 – 64
Tenino 3 6 2 11 – 22
Scoring: Montesano – Dalan 25, Olson 11, Schrader 6, Taylor 6, Forster 4, Blancas 4, Wade 3. Tenino – Asay 9, Thoren 4, Goodwin 6, Watson 2, Williams 1.
Forks 45, Raymond-South Bend 41
Raymond-South Bend’s second-half rally fell shot in a 45-41 loss to Forks on Friday in Forks.
The Ravens (11-6, 6-3 2B Pacific) led 12-4 early in the first quarter and held a 21-15 lead at the half against the No. 8 Spartans (14-3, 8-0).
But Forks went on a 7-0 run in the first minute of the second half and outscored RSB 22-6 in the third quarter as the Ravens struggled to convert multiple layups and free throws.
Down 11 early in the fourth period, the Ravens rallied to cut the deficit to two points late in the game.
But RSB couldn’t come up with a steal and was forced to foul as Forks remained unbeaten in the 2B Pacific League with the victory.
“Great effort once again by our kids,” RSB head coach Jason Koski said. “So proud of their work ethic and how they competed to give themselves a chance to win.”
The Ravens were led by Avalynn Stigall with 13 points and six rebounds.
Kassie Koski had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go along with six steals while Ava Baugher had six points and a team-best 13 rebounds for RSB.
Megan Kongbouakhay led the Ravens with six assists and Kyndal Koski had a team-high seven steals for RSB.
The Ravens sit in second place in the 2B Pacific League and are scheduled to host North Beach at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Raymond-South Bend 12 9 6 14 – 41
Forks 6 9 22 8 – 45
Scoring: RSB – Stigall 13, Kas. Koski 10, Baugher 6, Kongbouakhay 5, Glazier 4, Pine 2, Kyn. Koski 1. Forks – K. Johnson 26, Ramos 5, Peters 4, Dilley 3, Gaydeski 3, Daniels 2, B. Johnson 2.
Ilwaco 53, Willapa Valley 42
Willapa Valley found itself in a hole it couldn’t dig out of in a 53-42 loss to Ilwaco on Friday at Willapa Valley High School.
The Vikings (9-8) started the game with an 8-0 run and led 12-8 after one quarter, but Ilwaco (8-6) responded with a 24-point second quarter to take a 32-21 lead at halftime.
“We came out determined to play in the first quarter. … But we took a little bit of time off in the second and it took us awhile to recover from that,” Valley head coach Dawn Keeton said. “We couldn’t match their intensity in the second quarter, but we were determined after halftime to come back out in the third and play well.”
Valley cut the deficit to 41-38 entering the fourth quarter but Ilwaco’s defense held the Vikings at bay over the final eight minutes of the game.
“We couldn’t handle the pressure,” Keeton said. “We’re still a young team and are still learning from that.”
Sophomore guard Rilyn Channell led the Vikings with 13 points and nine rebounds.
Junior forward Addison Merkel had 10 points while sophomore guard Lauren Matlock had nine points and eight rebounds for Valley.
The Vikings shot 32% from the field on 12-of-37 shooting and went 13 for 20 from the free-throw line (65%).
Valley also committed 27 turnovers in the game.
Willapa Valley takes on Mossyrock in a 1B Columbia Valley League game at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in Menlo.
Ilwaco 8 24 9 12 – 53
Willapa Valley 12 9 17 4 – 42
Scoring: Ilwaco – Warfield 16, Avalon 15. Willapa Valley – Channell 13, Merkel 10, Matlock 9, Russell 5, Keeton 5.
Other scores
Girls Prep Basketball
Chief Leschi 59, North Beach 28
Oakville 56, Lake Quinault 10
Taholah 84, Wishkah Valley 10
Boys Prep Basketball
Oakville 81, Lake Quinault 19
Taholah 78, Wishkah Valley 7
