TACOMA – Earlier this week, the Woodland boys basketball team talked about making memories. But coach Jason Buffum’s memory was a few years off.
When he urged his players to wrap up Woodland’s first top-eight finish in state “since 1995,” a few started chuckling.
One pointed to the rafters of Woodland’s gym and noted that the school’s last top-eight finish came in 1985.
The drought had lasted so long, you could miss its length by a decade and still be in the ballpark.
Now that drought is over. Woodland secured a spot in the Class 2A state quarterfinals with a 63-50 win over North Kitsap on Friday.
The regional-round victory at Mount Tahoma High School means Woodland (17-8) is headed to Yakima for its first berth in the final eight as a 2A school.
“I’m proud of my guys and proud of the program,” Buffum said. “People forget where it was at one point. That’s on these guys for having the care and wanting to turn things around.”
Tanner Sixberry scored 25 points, including 18 in the first half. Freshman Tyler Flanagan added 17 as Woodland led by 10 to 14 points for most of the game.
In the fourth quarter, Woodland made 14 of 19 free throws to allow North Kitsap to get no closer than nine points.
Whether upperclassmen or freshman, starters or bench players, the moments were not too big for Woodland on Friday.
“At times we haven’t made those shots in crucial situations,” Buffum said. “Tonight, we stuck them when we needed to.”
North Kitsap of Poulsbo entered Friday 21-4 and had won nine in a row. But Sixberry scored 10 first-quarter points to put the Vikings on their heels.
Woodland led 16-6 when Bryce Mulder made a putback slam at the end of the first quarter, during which Woodland had seven offensive rebounds.
“We were moving the ball well, playing good defense and rebounding,” Sixberry said. “Mostly we were focused on defense.”
And defense is what Woodland does best. The Beavers are the second-stingiest Class 2A team in the state, giving up 47.5 points per game.
North Kitsap struggled to find a rhythm on offense. McKay Flanagan pestered the Vikings’ leading scorer Cole Rabedeaux as Woodland stretched its lead to 34-22 at halftime.
Tyler Flanagan came off the bench to score eight points in the second quarter, including two 3-pointers.
Taking shots in a big game? No problem for the 14-year-old freshman.
“They said ‘shoot with confidence, you’re a good shooter,’” he said. “So that’s what I did. They told me to keep shooting because at open gym I just shoot and they see me making shots.”
Hayden Huddleston’s 3-pointer gave Woodland a 45-30 lead early in the third quarter. But Rabedeaux scored eight of his 21 points during an 8-2 run that pulled the Vikings within nine.
North Kitsap started to foul Woodland with three minutes to play, daring the Beavers to clinch the game at the free throw line.
Dare accepted. Deed done. Tyler Flanagan and Huddleston were a combined 8-for-9 at the line down the stretch.
Woodland won’t learn its quarterfinal opponent until Sunday. But the Beavers do know Thursday’s game will start what they hope are three memorable days in Yakima.
“We’re already making lifetime memories,” Buffum said. “But now let’s put an exclamation point on the season and finish this thing out with some hardware in our hands.”
WOODLAND 63, NORTH KITSAP 50
WOODLAND (17-8) – Bryce Mulder 9, McKay Flanagan 0, Hayden Huddleston 10, , Wyatt Harsh 0, Tanner Sixberry 25, Christian Mendez2, Tyler Flanagan 17. Totals 20 (7) 16-25 63.
NORTH KITSAP (21-5) – Zach Olmstead 4, Jake Houghton 2, Cole Rabedeaux 21, Cooper Lindsey 2, Kainen Warren 2, Joshua Benson 8, Jarrod Felix 10, Kohlten Barringer-Mahitka 0. Totals 21 (2) 6-12 50.
Woodland 16 18 8 21 — 63
North Kitsap 6 16 8 20 — 50
