Boys basketball: Woodland 59, Washougal 49

In recent games, first-year Woodland boys basketball coach Andrew Johnson has called his Beavers’ victories “grind-out wins.”

Tuesday’s 59-49 regular-season finale victory over Washougal was another one of those games, and he hopes recent close victories will pay dividends when it matters most: playoff time. Woodland, winners of six straight, enters the 2A Southwest District IV tournament as the 2A Greater St. Helens League’s second seed and hosts Black Hills, the 2A Evergreen Conference’s third seed, at 7 p.m. Saturday.

While Johnson called Tuesday’s victory an “ugly win,” the Beavers (13-5 overall, 9-3 league) pulled away from the Panthers behind a 24-point fourth quarter.

Bryce Mulder had a team-best 16 points, 14 rebounds and a season-best seven blocks, but it was the play of Devin Rice (eight points) that earned Johnson’s praise.

Rice was 6 of 7 from the free-throw in the fourth quarter.

“Without him,” Johnson said, “we couldn’t have done it.”

Washougal (4-16) was paced by Collin Prangley’s game-high 21 points.

WOODLAND 59, WASHOUGAL 49

WOODLAND — Bryce Mulder 16, Joshua Pasual, Devin Rice 7, Wyatt Harsh 0, Palmer Dinehart 14, Tristan Thomas 1, Isaiah Flanagan, Tyler Flanagan 3, Tanner Sixberry 17, Alex Bishop, Tim Gerega. Totals 18 (3) 20-30 59.

WASHOUGAL — Louie Barles 8, Collin Prangley 21, Ben Gutkind 0, Jake Klackner 0, Troy Prince-Butterfield 0, Mitchell Leon 1, Carter Murray 6, Carson Adams 6, John Miner, Tanner Coltrane, Bailey Deming 2, Nick Oakes 5. Total 18 (3) 10-21 49.

Woodland 11 6 18 24–59

Washougal 8 15 12 14–49

JV — Washougal 60-51; C team — Washougal won.