WOODLAND — He was challenged in practice.
He was told he would be the key, the factor, in a game that was sure to be full of emotion.
Palmer Dinehart responded with his best game of the season.
Dinehart made his first eight shots and finished with 21 points as Woodland rolled past Ridgefield 53-39 in a Class 2A Greater St. Helens League boys basketball game Tuesday night.
It was not only a battle for second place — with the winner still having a shot at a league title — it also was a chance for the Beavers to beat their former coach.
Ridgefield’s coach, Jason Buffum, left Woodland after last season to take the job with the Spudders.
“It felt good to beat him, to show what my true potential was,” Dinehart said.
Dinehart also wanted to show his team those skills.
Woodland coach Andrew Johnson said he had noticed a few things about Dinehart’s game and gave him some tips.
“He was pressing too much,” Johnson said. “I told him ‘I don’t care what you score. As long as you play tough defense and rebound, you’ll be fine.’ And he did that.”
Dinehart came off the bench — he is a junior and it was senior night after all — but made his presence known immediately with six points and four rebounds in the first quarter when Woodland (12-5, 8-3 GSHL) jumped out to a 12-point lead.
“After I made a couple, I felt like I was in a zone,” Dinehart said.
Ridgefield (10-8, 6-4) would respond in the second quarter, getting an opportunity to make some noise in the second half. Instead, the Spudders went quiet and the Beavers and their big crowd went wild.
It was a five-point game with 5:42 left in the third quarter when Dinehart went back to work with back-to-back baskets. One came on a tough angle after an improbable offensive rebound. Those points got the Beavers headed into the direction of a blowout, the start of a 16-0 run.
“Coach told me to just play my game, do what I could do,” Dinehart said. “He knew I was a good player. Just let it happen.”
Tyler Flanagan hit a 3-pointer. Wyatt Harsh converted a three-point play. There was another point from Dinehart, a strong basket from Tanner Sixberry, and another 3-pointer from Flanagan.
From 27-22 to 43-22.
Ridgefield would get a 3-pointer just before the third-quarter horn but it was too late for the Spudders.
Louden Wardius led the Spudders with 19 points. He was 8 for 8 from the line.
The Spudders did get the best of Woodland in the first meeting between the teams. And with Buffum changing teams, there is an added level of energy to the fan bases. The players, too.
“I understand why he left us,” said Woodland post Bryce Mulder, who had nine points and 10 rebounds. “But with all the Twitter beef between the two schools, yeah, that was really cool to win.”
Johnson and Buffum remain friends.
“Jason taught me a lot about the game. It’s always fun to beat a former colleague,” Johnson said.
Buffum took it all in stride.
“It was weird for sure. It was a different feeling,” Buffum said of being back at Woodland. “But it was a great atmosphere tonight. Great crowds on both ends.”
You bet the former coach coming to town helped bring the fans out to cheer the Beavers.
There was one more thing, too.
“Palmer’s dad brings doughnuts (to the students),” Mulder said. “That will bring anyone out.”
The Beavers then gave their fans another treat.
WOODLAND 53, RIDGEFIELD 39
RIDGEFIELD — Tim Radosevich 0, Travis Gottsch 7, Andrew Williams 0, Matt Armstrong 2, Cameron Short 1, Kellen Bringhurst 2, Jack Vance 3, Kade Ramey 0, Louden Wardius 19, Spencer Andersen 2, Sam Frosh 3, Wyatt Layman 0. Totals 11 (3) 14-16 39.
WOODLAND — Bryce Mulder 9, Joshua Pascual 0, Devin Rice 0, Wyatt Harsh 3, Palmer Dinehart 21, Tristan Thomas 5, Isaiah Flanagan 0, Tyler Flanagan 8, Tanner Sixberry 7, Alex Bishop 0, Tim Gerega 0. Totals 20 (3) 10-16 53.
Ridgefield 4 15 6 14–39
Woodland 16 9 18 10–53
