GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL

Willapa Valley 50, Ocosta 17

Willapa Valley’s defense allowed six points in the first half en route to a 50-17 victory over a depleted Ocosta Wildcats team on Wednesday in Menlo.

The Vikings (4-1 overall, Pacific 2B) held Ocosta (0-7, 0-6) to two points in the first quarter and four in the second as the Wildcats were short some players due to illness.

Willapa Valley held Ocosta to 11 points in the second half to pick up its fourth straight Pacific League victory.

Cami Swartz led Willapa Valley’s defense effort with four blocks in the game.

“We played really good defense, again,” Vikings head coach John Pet said. “We’re not the prettiest team in the world, but we play really hard. I love my kids’ competitiveness and we’re very happy to get another league win.”

The Vikings have also seemed to have found its best starting lineup as the Willapa Valley offense has improved since Peterson put freshman Brooklyn Patrick in as the starting point guard a couple of games ago.

Patrick had eight assists running the Vikings offense, many of those going to her older sister Britney and Katie Adkins, each of whom scored a team-high 11 points in the contest.

“(Brooklyn) is going to be the point guard until she graduates,” Peterson quipped. “I told her, ‘If you get tired just call timeout because you are not coming out of the game for the next four years.’”

Ocosta’s Katelynn Denny, middle, is defended by Willapa Valley’s Cami Swartz (30) and Britney Patrick during Wednesday’s game at Willapa Valley High School. (Photo by Larry Bale)

Britney Patrick finished with a double-double, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds to go along with her 11 points.

Olivia Betrozoff also scored in double figures for Willapa Valley, netting 10 points and garnering the praises of Peterson.

“Olivia was outstanding on the offensive end,” he said. “She was huge for us and hit a couple of nice jumpers.”

With the win, Willapa Valley remains a game behind Raymond for second place in league. Both are looking up at Ilwaco, which remains perfect with a 6-0 league record.

Ocosta 2 4 6 5 — 17

Willapa Valley 12 15 15 8 — 50

Top Players: Willapa Valley — Britney Patrick (11 pts., 13 reb.); Adkins (11 pts., 8 reb.); Betrozoff (10 pts.); Brooklyn Patrick (8 asst.); Swartz (4 blk.)

WF West 50, Elma 35

Elma got 30 points from Jalyn Sackrider, but not much else in a 50-35 loss to WF West on Tuesday in Chehalis.

Sackrider was outstanding, scoring 30 points on 14-of-26 shooting — including a 3-pointer — while grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking seven shots.

But Elma (3-2) faced a 15-6 deficit after the first quarter and never got within eight points of the Bearcats (4-2) the rest of the way.

WF West was led by Annika Waring and Taya McCallum, who scored 10 points apiece.

Elma 6 7 8 14 — 35

WF West 0151 15 9 11 15 — 50

Top Players: Elma — Sackrider (30 pts., 14 reb., 7 blk.). WF West — Waring (10 pts.); McCallum (10 pts.); Drea Brumfield (9 pts.)

Other scores

Pe Ell 51, Northwest Christian 44

Ilwaco 72, North Beach 10

BOYS PREP SWIMMING

River Ridge 113, Aberdeen 50

Sophomore Colton Burns cruised to a 100-yard freestyle event win as Aberdeen stayed close before falling to River Ridge in a non-league dual meet on Tuesday.

At River Ridge’s pool, Burns cruised to a win in the 100 free (1:00.74) for the Bobcats’ lone event win. However, Aberdeen pushed the hosts in nearly every event in an entertaining meet between two longtime friendly rivals.

“River Ridge is a very good, disciplined team and it is always a good meet when we face them in the pool,” Aberdeen head coach Rob Burns said. “Colton had a very good overall day, as well as others. We pushed River Ridge and it pushed us today. There were lot of close calls, making for some very good races.”

Hoquiam swimmer Tommy Wallace was edged out in the 100 breaststroke.

Freshman Isaac Brandt, in his first-ever swim meet, was touched out in the 50 freestyle. Wallace, Brandt, as well as senior Colin Kenoyer, junior Noah Johnson and sophomore Jamison Berney were all cited for their performances.

On Saturday, Aberdeen will host its annual alumni meet at 10 a.m. at the YCMA of Grays Harbor. Any former Aberdeen (and other high school) swimmer are welcome to come and race in this intra-squad practice/meet. Warmups for the meet begin at 9:15 a.m.

— For the Grays Harbor News Group

GIRLS PREP BOWLING

Tumwater 1770, Aberdeen 1644

Despite bowling its best team score of the season, the Aberdeen Bobcats fell to the much-improved Tumwater Thunderbirds 1,770-1,644 on Wednesday at Tumwater Lanes.

Facing a 148-pin deficit after Game 1, Aberdeen bowled its best single-game score as a team in an 810-719 victory.

Sierra Hammond bowled a 200 in Game 2 — the first 200 game of her prep career — and led all bowlers with a series score of 361.

But Tumwater, which had three bowlers score at or near a 300 series, took both Baker games to pick up the victory.

Aberdeen moves to 4-5 overall, 1-4 in the 2A Evergreen League with the loss.