ROCHESTER — Mossyrock scored 1 point in the third quarter here Thursday night in District IV 2B Girls Basketball action — and playing against a top-caliber team in Napavine, you can imagine how it ended.
Lacey Morris and Amy Goettelman combined for 24 points, helped the Tigers turn a 1-point lead at halftime into a 15-point lead going into the fourth, and solidify a trip to the State 2B Girls Basketball Tournament with a 52-38 victory.
“At halftime, I didn’t recognize this team,” Tiger coach Shane Schutz said. “Our foundation is defense, and Mossyrock did a very good job of attacking the basket. Eventually, I think we wore them out on the defensive end of things.”
“We brought it all to the game tonight,” Viking coach Gale Bridges said. “We were down 1 at halftime, and kids played hard. They really showed some heart tonight.”
The Vikings came out with a 16-13 lead after one quarter, before scoring 10 to Napavine’s 14 in the second.
“They came out hungry,” Schutz said, “and obviously took the same game plan as Wahkiakum (which beat the Tigers Wednesday night).
“And we got really tentative in the first half and started going back to what makes us not successful.”
Schutz commended the play of Jadyn Foster (6 points, 11 rebounds) and Ali Brossard (5 points, 10 rebounds).
“They had monster nights,” he said. “Jadyn was not only inspirational on the rebounding end, but provided emotional leadership when we needed it.”
Teryn Pannette also hit a key 3-point shot in the third quarter for Napavine.
“She hit a big 3 in the third quarter that was a momentum changer,” he said. “It was a big 3 when we needed one.”
Claire Swayze had 8 points in her final game as a Viking. Other seniors include Staci Jacobson (6 points), Rodina Jones (2), Kayla Rosson (2), and Julianne McCurry, who did not play because of an injury.
Overall, Bridges was proud of the way his Vikings (11-14) handled their business in districts.
“Nobody expected us to do anything,” he said. “We were right there in the end playing for a spot to go to state, and the girls played hard the whole time.
“They’re very good,” Bridges added, of the Tigers. “I wish them well at state.”
Napavine (19-4) will play Toutle Lake Saturday at 10 a.m. in Chehalis for the third/fourth place in the district tournament.
