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La Center girls fall to Montesano in overtime of 1A district title game

By Tim Martinez, Columbian Assistant Sports Editor
Published: February 22, 2015, 12:00am

KELSO — The La Center girls basketball team didn’t leave Kelso High School with the district title they desired. But the Wildcats did come away with some valuable experience.

The Wildcats scrapped and clawed before finally falling to undefeated Montesano 63-57 in overtime in the Class 1A district championship game on Saturday.

From the outset, it looked as if Montesano’s strong inside game, led by 6-1 sophomore Jordan Spradlin, would be too much for the Wildcats.

But La Center stayed in the game with their perimeter shooting. Andrea Griffee had 14 first-half points, including four 3-pointers as Montesano led 31-28 at halftime.

The Wildcats shot ahead 48-43 after three quarters with Katie Whitten scoring 11, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Spradlin’s inside presence was a problem for the Wildcats. Not only did she score a game-high 28 points, but she also contributed to La Center’s Shelby Vermeulen and Taylor Mills fouling out in the final two minutes of the game.

Still, La Center held onto the lead the entire final quarter until Cheyann Bartlett’s rebound basket tied the game with 29 seconds to play.

La Center played for the final shot, but late shot was off the mark, leading to overtime.

Griffee’s fifth 3-pointer of the game gave La Center a 55-52 early in the overtime period, the Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run. Paige Stinson’s basket cut Montesano’s led to 59-57 with 50 seconds left, but the Wildcats would get no closer.

Whitten finished with 18 points, and Griffee added 17.

Now the Wildcats wait to see where, and against whom, they will face in the regional round of the 1A state tournament.

But at least they know that they hung tough with one of the top teams in the state.

MONTESANO 63, LA CENTER 57 (OT)

LA CENTER — Katie Whitten 18, Bethany Whitten 6, Taylor Mills 6, Shelby Vermeulen 8, Paige Stinson 2, Andrea Griffee 17. Totals 22 (9) 4-5 57.

MONTESANO — Myranda Floch 3, Cheyann Bartlett 10, Megan Choate 11, Cortney Miller 4, Shayla Floch 4, Kasie Kloempken 5, Jordan Spradlin 28. Totals 20 (2) 21-32 63.

La Center 12 16 20 4 5—57

Montesano 12 19 10 9 11—63

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