Several local teams faced crucial games on the final day of their respective district tournaments as we review Saturday’s prep hoops action on the Harbor.

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GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL

Seton Catholic 46, Montesano 32

A poor fourth quarter ended Montesano’s hopes of a fifth-straight district title as the Bulldogs fell to Seton Catholic 46-32 in the 1A District 4 championship game on Saturday at Centralia High School.

The Bulldogs (17-7 overall) trailed early to the Cougars (18-6), but clawed back to trail 9-8 after one quarter of play.

Monte did a better job of moving offensively, attacking the basket and drawing fouls to take a 20-15 lead at halftime, despite going 1 for 8 from the free-throw line in the first half (12.5%).

The Bulldogs held a 30-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter before the wheels fell off.

Seton Catholic got out on the break and was able to beat Monte down court for multiple baskets to take the lead and continued to apply the pressure, outscoring Monte 18-2 over the final eight minutes of the game.

Montesano head coach Mark Mansfield, whose team defeated Seton Catholic in the district-title game in each of the past two seasons, said previous history between the two programs played a part in the outcome.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano forward Jillie Dalan (24) shoots a 3-pointer over Seton Catholic’s Riley Seymer during the Bulldogs’ 46-32 loss in the 1A District 4 title game on Saturday in Centralia.

”We were very stagnant offensively the entire night. We just never got in a good flow and give Seton Catholic credit for that,” he said. “We had beat them the last two years and they played with a chip on their shoulder and took advantage when they had the chance.”

Standout sophomore forward Jillie Dalan led Monte with 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Monte went 13 for 57 from the field (23%) – including 1 of 8 from 3-point range (12.5%) and hit 5-of-16 free throws (31%).

Montesano received a No. 10 seed in the 1A State Girls Basketball Tournament and will face No. 15 The Bush School in a win-or-go-home first-round game at 2 p.m. on Saturday at W.F. West High School.

Seton Catholic 9 6 13 18 – 46

Montesano 8 12 10 2 – 32

Scoring: SC – Seymer 17, Whitehouse 7, Lee 7, Moore 6, Jenniges 6, Sheldon 3. Montesano – Dalan 16, Olson 5, Schrader 4, Blancas 3, Jones 2, Forster 2.

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PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam guard RenaèJah (2) soars to the basket while pursued by Kalama’s Rylie Cadigan (10) and Delaney Rinard during the Grizzlies’ 43-37 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Centralia.

Hoquiam 43, Kalama 37

Hoquiam kept its season alive and secured a berth in the 1A State Tournament with a 43-37 win over Kalama in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Centralia.

The Grizzlies (15-8) overcame what head coach Chad Allan dubbed “young mistakes” to outscore the Chinooks (13-10) and hold on for the victory.

Hoquiam managed just four points in the first quarter but shook off any nerves to lead 17-15 at halftime, thanks in large part to freshman forward Aaliyah Kennedy, who scored 11 points in the second quarter.

The Grizzlies got to the free-throw line in the third frame, hitting 8 of 12 from the charity stripe to take a 32-25 lead into the fourth quarter.

Kennedy scored six of her game high 27 points in the final period – which also saw Hoquiam bolstered by a big three from senior Nadine Stewart – as the Grizzlies eliminated Kalama and advanced to the state tournament.

“What amazing resilience this team has had all year to find a way when challenges mount,” Allan said. “So happy for them to get rewarded with a state birth after all their work. I’m a very proud coach.”

In addition to her 27 points, Kennedy had a team-high 16 rebounds (9 offensive), five steals and three blocks to lead the Grizzlies.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam freshman forward Aaliyah Kennedy (23) scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Grizzlies to a 43-37 win over Kalama in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Centralia.

“The person who stepped up tonight when we needed her was Aaliyah Kennedy,” Allan said. “Tough to put a team on your back as a freshman. Her growth has been great to see.”

Allan also credits his bench for its role in the victory as the Grizzlies were hampered with foul trouble, particularly to starting point guard Lexi LaBounty and leading scorer in forward Sydney Gordon, each ending the game with four fouls.

“We got huge minutes from was Piper Stankavich (2 points, 3 rebounds) as we had foul trouble, so Piper came in and did what I know she can,” Allan said. “RenaèJah Burtenshaw (4 pts., 2 reb., 2 steals) had some great energy minutes for us as well.”

LaBounty had five rebounds, two assists, four steals and was a “stalwart” on defense, according to Allan, who added the junior guard’s “leadership kept us moving forward in tough times.”

The Grizzlies shot 29% from the field on 14-of-48 shooting and outrebounded Kalama 45-22, including 23 offensive rebounds.

Hoquiam enters the 1A State Tournament as the 16th and final seed in the field and will face No. 9 Nooksack Valley in a first-round elimination game at noon on Saturday at Mount Vernon High School.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM The Hoquiam Grizzlies celebrate a 43-37 win over Kalama in 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Centralia. Hoquiam advanced to the state tournament with the victory.

Kalama 8 7 10 12 – 37

Hoquiam 4 13 15 11 – 43

Scoring: Kalama – Doerty 13, Johnson 8, Hollifield 8, Cadigan 5. Hoquiam – Kennedy 27, Burtenshaw 4, Stewart 3, Stankavich 2, Gordon 2, K. Brodhead 2, Capoeman 2, LaBounty 1.

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RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Taholah’s Keeliana McCrory (right) defends Pe Ell’s Brookelynn King while teammate Luvaila Smith (11) looks on during Taholah’s 50-38 loss in the 1B District 4 championship game on Saturday at Montesano High School.

Pe Ell 50, Taholah 38

Taholah’s offense struggled en route to a 50-38 loss to Pe Ell in the 1A District 4 championship game on Saturday at Montesano High School.

The Chitwhins (17-6) opened the game with a three from sophomore guard Luvaila Smith but then went cold from the floor, going without another point until freshman guard Maliah Pluff scored on the break off an assist from sophomore forward Shirleymae Stafford to make it a 9-5 game with nine seconds left in the first quarter.

Taholah pulled to within a bucket at 12-10 after a three from Pluff early in the second quarter and trailed 17-13 later in the period after another Pluff triple.

But the Trojans (21-0) went on a 7-0 run capped by a jumper by sophomore guard Karli Phelps to take a 24-13 lead with less than a minute to play in the first half.

Pluff’s third 3-pointer of the second quarter had the Chitwhins down 24-16 at the half.

Taholah would get to within one possession at 28-25 on a three from junior Noelani McCrory with 3:27 to play in the third quarter, but a Pe Ell run would have the Trojans back up by 10 at 35-25 with just under a minute to go in the period.

The Chitwhins closed the quarter with Stafford getting a steal and layup with two seconds on the clock, trimming the deficit to 35-27 entering the final eight minutes of the game.

But Pe Ell opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back threes from senior guard Brookelynn King and junior guard Madi Engel to stretch the lead to 40-27.

Taholah got as close as nine points when senior guard Keeliana McCrory buried a three to make it a 47-38 game with a minute to play, but time ran out for the Chitwhins as Pe Ell hit 3-of-5 free throws in the final minute to secure the district title.

Keeliana McCrory and Pluff finished with 10 points apiece to lead Taholah.

Phelps led all scorers with 17 points.

Taholah enters the 1B State Tournament as the No. 15 seed and will host No. 18 Evergreen Lutheran in a first-round elimination game at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Pe Ell 9 15 11 15 – 50

Taholah 5 11 11 11 – 38

Scoring: Pe Ell – Phelps 17, M. King 10, Engel 8, B. King 7, Kissner 4, Zock 4. Taholah – K. McCrory 10, Pluff 10, Smith 8, N. McCrory 5, Stafford 5.

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Other scores

1B District 4 Third-Place Game

Mary M. Knight 48, Willapa Valley 37

(No. 19 Willapa Valley plays at No. 14 Almira-Coulee-Hartline in 1B State first-round game, 7 p.m. Tuesday)

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PHOTO BY MIKE ROBERTS Elma guard Isaac McGaffey (3) pulls up for a jump shot during the Eagles’ 62-47 loss to La Center in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday at Centralia High School.

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL

La Center 62, Elma 47

Elma’s hopes at extending its season slipped away in the fourth quarter as the Eagles lost to La Center 62-47 in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday at Centralia High School.

Elma (14-9) controlled the first 24 minutes of the game, leading 23-19 at halftime and 41-38 over the taller, more athletic Wildcats (15-8).

But La Center began to turn fortunes around late in the third quarter after senior guard Traden Carter went to the bench with his fourth foul.

The Wildcats’ upward trench continued in the fourth quarter as La Center to the free-throw line to outscore Elma 24-6 over the final eight minutes of play.

With the loss, Elma’s season ends one game from the state tournament for the second-consecutive season.

PHOTO BY MIKE ROBERTS Elma senior guard Traden Carter (0) drives to the hoop during the Eagles’ 62-47 loss to La Center in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday at Centralia High School.

“For three quarters we were the better basketball team. We dictated the game on both ends of the floor. We were very well prepared, knew their stuff, knew their personnel and knew their game plan,” said Elma head coach Matt Ferrier, who believed the outcome would have been different if his star guard was on the floor. “I am a firm believer if he stays on the floor, we win that game.”

Junior forward Isaac McGaffey scored 16 points and had eight rebounds while junior Tanner Moe also scored in double digits with 10 points, three rebounds and three steals for Elma.

Senior guards Theo Flores (9 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists), Luke Schneider (2 pts., 4 reb., ast.) and Armani Phan (reb.) also contributed to the Elma effort in their final games as Eagles.

“This group of seniors has built up the culture of this program. Traden Carter, Theo Flores, Spencer Olsen, Luke Schneider and Armani Phan are all four-year program members that we say farewell to,” Ferrier said. “Losing two members of this year’s big three – Carter and Flores – will be tough to replace. That’s two years in a row that we have ended our season one step short of our state-tournament goal. Our kids are hurting.”

PHOTO BY MIKE ROBERTS Elma’s Theo Flores (right) picks up a loose ball during the Eagles’ 62-47 loss to La Center in a 1A District 4 elimination game on Saturday in Centralia.

Elma shot 38% from the field on 20-of-53 shooting and attempted just four free throws compared to 25 for La Center, a stat Ferrier stated impacted the game.

“In no way would I ever blame the refs cause our physical play is encouraged by our coaching staff. But the discrepancy in free throws really decided the game. We shot 4 free throws and they shot 26. It’s hard to recover from all the freebies they got,” said Ferrier, who commended his team’s effort. “If you looked at both teams during warm-ups, you would see a very big size and athleticism advantage for them. Our message before the game was to show them how blue collared guys show up for work. Told em to go out and work em, and boy did we ever. What we lacked in size and speed, we made up for it with grit and determination. Our kids wanted it so much. They work their tails off and couldn’t be more proud of them. Wouldn’t switch a damn thing about this group. … Thank you to my assistant coaches Carter Avery and Jason Olsen.”

La Center 9 10 19 24 – 62

Elma 10 13 18 6 – 47

Scoring: Elma – McGaffey 16, Moe 10, Flores 9, Carter 8, Schneider 2, Myer 2.