BOYS PREP BASKETBALL

Montesano 60, Elma 48

Keyed by a defense that created multiple turnovers and extra offensive chances, Montesano earned an impactful 60-48 victory over Elma on Wednesday at Elma High School.

Leading 23-20 midway through the second quarter, Montesano (11-5 overall, 4-0 Evergreen 1A) used its half-court trap to go on an 11-2 run just before the half. Monte’s run included three straight possessions where the Bulldogs would score, get a steal at halfcourt, then convert on the other end, capped by a Braden Dohrmann 3-pointer that extended Monte’s lead to 34-22 at the 1:21 mark and forced an Elma timeout.

Elma’s Raiden Aho followed with a baseline jump shot to halt the run as Elma faced a 34-24 halftime deficit.

The Bulldogs carried the momentum after the break, scoring four quick points to take a 38-24 lead.

But Elma (7-8, 2-2) found some success against Monte’s 2-3 zone by feeding the ball to Brady Johnston in the high-post.Johnston scored six points in the paint and found open Elma shooters as the Eagles clawed their way back into the game in the third quarter.

Montesano’s Braden Dohrmann is fouled while being defended by Cobey Moore (10) and Brady Johnston (15) during Wednesday’s game in Elma. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

Aho hit a three from the corner and was followed by a Johnston bucket down low 30 seconds later as Elma cut Monte’s lead to 42-36 with 2:10 left in the frame.

The teams traded baskets as the Bulldogs took a 44-38 lead into the fourth quarter.

Much like they did in the third quarter, Monte opened the fourth with another run, this time fostered by a relentless pursuit on the offensive boards. The Bulldogs took a commanding 56-41 lead after a 12-2 run after four consecutive Elma possessions produced three turnovers and a missed 3-pointer.

Monte freshman Wesley Bjornsgard gave Monte the 15-point lead after scoring his sixth point of the run, scoring on the inside after multiple offensive rebounds by the Bulldogs.

Elma’s Sawyer Witt and Aho were able to hit a 3-pointer each down the stretch, but it was too little, too late for Elma as Monte took the 60-48 victory and a two-game lead in the race for the top spot in the 1A Evergreen League.

“Those runs were huge,” Montesano head coach Doug Galloway said. “Anytime in sports you can get a little bit of momentum, it really helps that team out. I just wanted to ride that momentum as long as I possibly could with the kids so I probably didn’t sub as much as I normally do, but when you get in those runs you dance with what brought you there. … I just tried to do as little as possible to mess things up.”

Cole Daniels led Monte with 16 points and went 8-of-9 from the free-throw line for a Monte team that had an solid night at the charity stripe, hitting 11-of-14 (79%) in the game.

Montesano’s Carter Olsen puts up a shot while under pressure from Elma’s Noah Huttula on Wednesday at Elma High School. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group) Montesano’s Carter Olsen puts up a shot while under pressure from Elma’s Noah Huttula on Wednesday at Elma High School. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

Bjornsgard added 10 points for Monte, six of those coming in the Bulldogs’ 16-point fourth quarter.

Aho and Canon Seaberg led Elma with 11 points each followed by Johnston, who scored 10 points for the Eagles.

With the victory, Monte stays perfect in league play and holds a two-game lead over Elma and Forks, who are tied for second with 2-2 league records.

“When you are in a high school basketball game, if you can win the rebounding battle, you have a good chance at winning the game and I think our kids are getting better at that,” Galloway said.

Montesano 17 17 10 16 — 60

Elma 15 9 14 10 — 10

Taholah 62, Mary M. Knight 52

Tommy Underwood hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points to lead the Taholah Chitwhins to a 62-52 victory over the Mary M. Knight Owls on Wednesday at Mary M Knight High School.

“When you need a big shot, he’s the man,” Taholah head coach Tyler Crossguns said of Underwood before turning his attention to the competitiveness both teams put on display. “It was a very good game from both sides.”

James Orozco added 18 points as Taholah outscored MMK 21-9 in the second quarter to seize control of the game.

Izaiah Compton led the Owls with 28 points.

Taholah 12 21 6 23 — 62

Mary M. Knight 11 9 12 20 — 52

Raymond’s Seydel wins WIAA Athlete of the Week

Raymond sophomore Tre’ Seydel (12), seen here against Willapa Valley on Jan. 10, was named the 2B boys WIAA Athlete of the Week on Wednesday. (Photo by Larry Bale)

For the second time this season, a Raymond basketball player earned the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s “Athlete of the Week” award.

Seagulls leading scorer, sophomore guard Tre’ Seydel, was named the 2B boys WIAA Athlete of the Week on Wednesday after scoring 30 and 36 points in back-to-back double-double efforts last week.

Seydel is the second Seagull to be honored by the governing body this month after Kyra Gardner was named the 2B girls Athlete of the Week on Jan. 7.

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL

Tumwater 69, Aberdeen 24

Aberdeen struggled to score against one of the league’s top teams, falling to Tumwater 69-24 on Wednesday in Aberdeen.

The Bobcats (4-11, 0-5 Evergreen 2A) were within striking distance at 17-10 after the first quarter, but the Thunderbirds (14-1, 4-1) outscored the Bobcats 25-2 in the second frame to take control of the game.

“We had a pretty good first quarter, but then shot 9% in the second quarter,” Bobcats head coach Rachel Wenzel said. “Then it was a track meet on their end. I’m proud of our effort, even with our shooting woes.”

Natalie Sumrock led all scorers with 19 points.

Aliyah Tageant led the Bobcats with eight points.

Tumwater 17 25 21 6 — 69

Aberdeen 10 2 6 6 — 24

Taholah 58, Mary M. Knight 19

Naheah McCrory and Natayla Russell each scored in double figures as the Taholah Lady Chitwhins earned a 58-19 victory on Wednesday in Taholah.

McCrory had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds to lead Taholah. She also added five blocks to an impressive stat line.

Russell added 13 points for Lady Chitwhins team that head coach Frank Pope admitted didn’t play to its usual level on Wednesday.

“I thought that we played OK in spurts, but our rhythm was way off tonight,” he said. “We need to play better in our next game and focus more.”

PREP WRESTLING

Montesano completes undefeated league season

Montesano’s wrestling team wrapped up the dual meet season with convincing home dual meet victories over Elma and Forks on Tuesday. The Bulldogs blanked Elma 78-0 and beat Forks for the first time in several years 39-31.

Bulldogs freshman Cole Ekerson bumped up to 126 pounds and beat the state’s 4th-ranked wrestler in the class, Forks’s Andres Santos-Delacruz, 4-0. The victory completed a stretch where Ekerson defeated three highly-rated grapplers in a four-day span.

Montesano 39, Forks 31

106 pounds — Demorest (Forks) pinned Hollatz (Montesano); 113 — J. Salstrom (M), won via forfeit; 120 — Odekirk (M), WFF; 126 — C. Ekerson (M) decision Santos-Delacruz (F), 4-0; 132 — Weakley (F) pin Johansson (M), 3:29; 138 — Morales (F) dec. L. Salstrom (M), 8-3; 145 — T. Ekerson (M) dec. Duncan (F), 4-3; 152 — Perez (F) pin Whisenhunt (M), 3:20; 160 — Issac Pierce (M), WFF; 170 — Baker (F) dec. Isaiah Pierce (M), 9-4; 182 —. Queen (F) pin Arreguin (M), 2:18; 195 — Cervantes (M), WFF; 220 — Delgato (M) SDOT, 10-8; 285 — Koonrad (M) pin Morales (F), 0:15.

Montesano 78,. Elma 0

106 — J Hollatz (M), WFF; 113 — Salstrom (M), WFF; 120 — Odekirk (M), WFF; 126 — Lano (M) dec. Bristow (Elma), 7-2; 132 — Johansson (M) pin Carr (E), 1:09; 138 — Salstrom (M), WFF; 145 — Ekerson (M) pin Curulla (E), 1:13; 152 — Whisenhunt (M), WFF; 160 — Isaac Pierce (M) pin Whipple (E), 3:58; 170 — Isaiah Pierce (M) dec. Alderman (E), 6-0; 182 — Brent Hollatz pin Wilson (E), 1:12; 195 — Cervantes (M), WFF; 220 — Delgado (M) pin Price (E), 3:35; 285 — Kenny Koonrad (M), WFF.

— For the Grays Harbor News Group

BOYS PREP SWIMMING

Aberdeen splits double duel

Hosting Mark Morris and R.A. Long in a District IV 2A double duel meet, Aberdeen earned a split to pick up its first win of the season at the YMCA of Grays Harbor pool on Wednesday.

The Monarchs came away with the overall win, knocking off the Bobcats, 108-57. Aberdeen earned the split by outdistancing the Lumberjacks, 93-61.

“The boys really earned this,” Aberdeen head coach Rob Burns said. “They’ve worked hard this season and this was a great meet against two very tough teams. Mark Morris is a threat to win the district title and R.A. Long is always a tough squad to face. We were tested and we came away with a lot of improved times and marks.”

Mark Morris won each of the events in the double duel, with Aberdeen grabbing several second- and third-place finishes throughout the afternoon.

In the 50-yard freestyle final, Aberdeen’s Russell Bates, Brice Kola and Isaac Brandt finished 2-3-4. The trio, along with Colton Burns, pushed the Monarchs’ team to the final lap in the 200-yard medley and freestyle relays.

Coach Burns cited the 400 free relay — Foster Patterson, Colin Kenoyer, Noah Johnson and Brandt — for its second-place finish, Colin Kenoyer (100 fly) and Logen Seguin (200 and 500 free) for their overall performances and Hoquiam’s Tommy Wallace for his efforts in the 100 breaststroke.

On Monday, Aberdeen will hosts its final home meet of the season. The Bobcats will honor their four seniors and host River Ridge at the YMCA of Grays Harbor.

— For the Grays Harbor News Group