Willapa Valley’s boys and girls teams split their playoff elimination games on Thursday in Hoquiam

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Willapa Valley’s Connor “Cheese” Keeton (32) looks to shoot against Columbia Adventist’s Logan Pierce during the Vikings’ 52-44 loss in a 1B District 4 Tournament game on Thursday in Hoquiam.

Columbia Adventist 52, Willapa Valley 44

Willapa Valley’s season came to an end after a 52-44 loss to Columbia Adventist Academy in a 1B District 4 Tournament game on Thursday at Hoquiam High School.

The Vikings (12-13 overall) got off to a good start, leading 11-6 after the first quarter and held a 19-14 lead at halftime after sophomore forward JB Russell hit a pair of free throws with just under a minute to play in the first half.

The Kodiaks (15-8) made their move in the second half, taking a 29-28 lead on a steal and layup by senior guard Collin Delaney with 1:09 to go in the third quarter.

Columbia Adventist would go up by as much as eight points after another Delaney steal and layup put the Kodiaks up 39-31 at the 6:04 mark of the fourth quarter.

Valley clawed to within a point at 41-40 when Russell scored to cap a 7-0 run with 3:26 on the clock.

The Vikings momentarily took the lead at 44-43 when sophomore guard Blane King scored on back-to-back breakaway layups with 2:00 left to play.

But Valley’s momentum was short-lived as Delaney hit a corner three to spark a 9-0 Kodiaks run to end the game, scoring seven points in the game-clinching streak.

“This was a tough loss for us in a loser-out contest. We struggled to get a rhythm all evening offensively and it just never happened,” Vikings head coach Derek Rask said. “We didn’t execute well defensively and we didn’t rebound as well as we usually do. It certainly wasn’t a lack of effort, we just simply didn’t play well.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Willapa Valley’s Nathan Fluke (2) shoots a three against Columbia Adventist’s Gareth Neufeld during the Vikings’ 52-44 loss in a 1B District 4 Tournament game on Thursday in Hoquiam.

Sophomore guard Brody Ritzman led Valley with nine points and eight rebounds while junior guard Nathan Fluke had nine rebounds and four steals for the Vikings.

Willapa Valley had 36 rebounds and 18 turnovers in the game.

With the loss, Valley’s season comes to an end.

“I want to point out or two seniors who will graduate this year: Aiden Young and Ryan Blankenship. Both of these guys are great people and we will miss them as they move on,” Rask said. “We greatly appreciate their contributions to our program.”

CAA 6 8 18 20 – 52

Willapa Valley 11 8 9 16 – 44

Scoring: CAA – Delaney 22, White 13, Akron 4, Payne 4, Lu. Pierce 4, Lo. Pierce 3, Newfeld 2. Willapa Valley – Ritzman 9, Russell 8, King 8, Fluke 7, Swartz 5, Keeton 3, Aust 2, Lusk 2.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Willapa Valley’s Tylar Keeton (32) looks to pass while defended by Naselle’s Brooke Davis during the Vikings’ 44-34 win in a 1B District 4 Tournament game on Thursday in Hoquiam.

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Willapa Valley 44, Naselle 34

After leading by double-digits, Willapa Valley made the key plays late in the game for a 44-34 win over Naselle in a 1B District 4 Tournament elimination game on Thursday at Hoquiam High School.

The Vikings (14-12) jumped out to a 16-4 lead when sophomore guard Lauren Matlock drilled a three late in the first quarter and led 24-13 when sophomore guard Rilyn Channell scored with 1:24 left in the first half.

But foul troubles and turnovers began to take a toll on Valley in the second half and the Comets (10-14) took advantage. Though it took the entire quarter to do so, Naselle managed to tie the game by hitting six-straight free throws to close out the third quarter knotted up at 30-30.

“Until the last buzzer buzzes, don’t give up,” Valley head coach Dawn Keeton told her team leading into what could have possibly been their final quarter of the season. “Keep battling, keep rebounding and our rebounding was phenomenal. … Rebounding won us the game.”

“We just had to rebound and battle our way back,” Channell said.

Tied at 34-34 with less than three minutes left in the game, Channell gave Valley the lead with a step-through layup.

“You just have to make it. You just have to shoot and make it,” Channell said of her clutch shot. “That was my opportunity to make it right there.”

Junior forward Addison Merkel hit 1-of-2 free throws followed by a clutch three from Matlock with 1:12 to play for a 40-34 Valley lead.

Matlock then hit 4-of-6 free throws over the final 40 seconds of the game to secure the victory and thrust the Vikings into the district third-place game.

Matlock (10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) and eighth-grade guard Tylar Keeton (10 pts., 14 reb.) each scored in double figures to lead Valley.

Sophomore guard Kylee Fluke had nine points while Channell had eight points and 14 rebounds for the Vikings.

“I’m very proud of them and proud of their effort,” Coach Keeton said of the victory. “They have come so far since the beginning of the season. I couldn’t ask for better girls. They are amazing.”

The Vikings went 13 for 50 from the field (26%), had 38 rebounds and committed 23 turnovers as a team.

With the victory, Willapa Valley will face the Pe Ell Trojans in a winner-to-state-loser-out game at noon on Saturday at Montesano High School.

Coach Keeton said her young team should keep what will be a pressure-packed game in perspective.

“Don’t make it bigger than it is. It’s just a basketball game,” she said. “Have fun with it and we have to battle.”

Naselle 7 8 15 4 – 34

Willapa Valley 16 9 5 14 – 44

Scoring: Naselle – Colombo 8, Katuryniuk 8, Davis 7, Helvey 5, Johnson 4, Dunagan 2. Willapa Valley – Matlock 10, Keeton 10, Fluke 9, Channell 8, Russell 6, Merkel 1.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Willapa Valley’s Kylee Fluke (10) shoots from long range against Naselle’s Gladys Wilson during the Vikings’ 44-34 win in a 1B District 4 Tournament elimination game on Thursday in Hoquiam.