2A District Girls Basketball: Columbia River clinches third consecutive state berth

CHEHALIS — Consistency is the key for Columbia River.

It’s why the Rapids are headed to the Class 2A girls basketball state tournament for a third consecutive year.

Using its trusted formula of balanced scoring and tough defense, Columbia River topped Black Hills 62-41 in the District 4 semifinals Monday at W.F. West High School.

The Rapids celebrated the state-clinching win by dousing head coach Tee Anderson with water in the locker room.

Other than that burst of postgame jubilation, Monday was just more of the steady play that has led Columbia River to a 20-2 record and a third consecutive 2A Greater St. Helens League title.

“Consistently we just want it really bad,” senior Marley Myers said. “Even if our shots aren’t falling, we’re going to pick it up on defense. Our whole bench can score.”

Myers, Peyton Dukes and Mikayla King each scored 10 points while Gracie Glavin led the way with 11 points.

Glavin, one of six seniors, said a third state trip for this class has been a main goal all season.

“It’s created a legacy, almost,” Glavin said. “It’s about giving back to them and making one last run.”

Monday’s win sets up a rematch of last year’s district title game, won by W.F. West, on Friday in Kelso. The Bearcats punched their state ticket earlier Monday by beating Woodland.

Seven different Rapids scored in the second quarter, when River outscored Black Hills 21-8 to take a 29-13 halftime lead.

The Evergreen Conference runner-up Wolves (14-8) bounced back in the third quarter. Taylor Venable, who made a half-court shot at the halftime buzzer, scored 10 of her 18 points in the third as Black Hills got within 10 points.

But Columbia River clamped down, allowing only six points in the fourth quarter. King and Myers hit big 3-pointers early in the fourth to take the air out of the Wolves’ comeback attempt.

W.F. WEST 67, WOODLAND 25 — Julia Dalan scored 30 points and Dilyn Boeck added 21 points as the Evergreen Conference champion Bearcats showed why they’re a state-title contender.

Kennedy Bockert scored nine points for Woodland (17-6). The Beavers face Mark Morris in a winner-to-state, loser-out game on Wednesday at Ridgefield.

“It’s good when you play a team like this because you can’t just make mistakes and win,” Woodland coach Glen Flanagan said. “You’ve got to do the little things right all the time to win, and we didn’t.”

W.F. West (22-1) hasn’t had a game decided by fewer than 32 points since Dec. 28, a 53-50 win over Class 4A Glacier Peak.

Dalan, 6-foot-3 post who has signed with Portland, is the Bearcats career scoring leader. She had 16 points in the first half as W.F. West took a 35-19 halftime lead after starting the game on an 18-0 run.

W.F. West turned a sizable lead into a blowout by outscoring Woodland 23-1 in the fourth quarter. The Bearcats beat the Beavers 63-31 in each team’s season-opener on Dec. 2.

“In the middle two quarters we were even,” Flanagan said. “But against a good team you have to play consistent. … This will probably make us better for Wednesday, as long as we can flush it.”

W.F. WEST 67, WOODLAND 25

WOODLAND — Addi Stading 0, Kennedy Bockert 9, Emma Barrow 1, Addison Christensen 3, Liberty Christopherson 2, Makynzie Guthrie 3, Lainey Haden 6, Carly Coltrin 1. Totals 9 (4) 3-5 25.

W.F. WEST — Dilyn Boeck 21, Ellie Clinton 0, Madilynn Mcmanus 0, Esabelle Teeter 0, Rhylee Beebe 2, Kaitlyn Chloupek 8, Caroline Buzzard 0, Grace Simpson 6, Amanda Bennett 0, Madi Baine 0, Julia Dalan 30. Totals 29 (2) 7-10 67.

Woodland   11       8          5          1—25

W.F. West   19       16       9          23—67

COLUMBIA RIVER 62, BLACK HILLS 41

BLACK HILLS — Natalie Buchanan 13, Megan Dolby 2, Cassidy O’Reilly 2, Ellie Johnson 4, Tyler Venable 18, Jayla Ray 0, Arlene Coronel 0, Haley McMahon 0, Ava Echols 0, Bella Cruz 0, Kiley McMahon 2. Totals 14 (5) 8-13 41.

COLUMBIA RIVER — Olivia Carroll 1, Marley Myers 10, Peyton Dukes 10, Camy Drake 6, Charmayne Castro 3, Mikayla King 10, Braidee Goodwin 4, Avi Desjarlais 7, Gracie Glavin 11. Totals 23 (6) 10-19 41.

Black Hills 5          8          21       6—41

Columbia River    8          21       19       14—62