2B Girls Basketball: Indians Outlast Pirates in Defensive Skirmish

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By The Chronicle

Kal Schaplow tallied a game-high 11 points and 12 rebounds in what was a defensive battle as Toledo grinded out a 29-18 victory over Adna in the 2B District 4 third/fourth place match here Saturday.

With both teams already locked into regionals, Saturday’s affair was more about jockeying for RPI seeding, where Toledo is currently No. 4 and Adna No. 6.

The top eight RPI-ranked teams will play each other in the regional round and earn automatic bids to the state tournament March 4 to 7 at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington. No. 1 will play No. 8 at regionals, No. 2 faces No. 7 and so on. Regional matchups will be announced by the WIAA sometime on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Indians-Pirates scuffle was all defense. Both teams shot under 25 percent from the field, with Adna (21-5) knocking down just 7 of 40 shots (18 percent). Toledo (22-3) didn’t shoot much better, hitting 11 of 45 shots at a 24 percent clip.

“Both teams know each other well,” Toledo coach Brian Layton said. “You could tell we both played five games in the last eight days.”



Schaplow was the only scorer on both teams to register double-digit points. Alejandra Cadarso and Stacie Spahr each pulled down 10 rebounds to help the Indians take a 38-26 rebound advantage.

“Rebounding has been our focus,” Layton said. “We got outrebounded in the Mossyrock game. We’re also playing pretty good defense right now.”

The Indians rebounded from a 42-27 loss to Mossyrock in their district opener on Feb. 15, then had to log wins over Toutle Lake, Raymond and Ilwaco to claim a regional berth and reach the third/fourth place match against Adna.

“I’m proud of the girls,” Layton said. “They played with their backs against the wall. The girls are resilient. They clawed their way back.”

Adna fell 42-26 to Ilwaco in the district quarterfinals before taking down Napavine, Chief Leschi and Rainier to reach this match against Toledo. It’s the fifth time in Adna coach Chris Bannish’s eight years at the helm that the Pirates have reached the regional round, but the first time in three years.

Toledo is making its first trip to the state tournament since 2010, when the Indians were Class 1A. It’s the first time they’ll play in Spokane as Class 1A state is held in Yakima.