SPOKANE — Though the No. 2 Mossyrock girls basketball team got off to a hot start, and led for most of the game, the Vikings couldn’t keep it rolling late, and fell in the 1B state title game to No. 1 Neah Bay Saturday afternoon at Spokane Arena, 56-54.
It was a heartbreaker for a Viking team looking for their first state championship since they won the 2B title in 2007.
“I told them before the game that they’ve put in the time and they deserve this moment,” Vikings coach Autumn Moorcroft said. “We wanted to have fun and enjoy the moment, the highs and the lows. They’ll remember it for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately it is second, but it’s still a great accomplishment. No one’s guaranteed a trip to Spokane so they should be proud of that.”
The Vikings led by as many as eight points, and took a seven-point lead in the third quarter after a hot start to the frame.
Late in the first half, though, three-time 1B Columbia Valley League MVP Payton Torrey re-aggravated an ankle injury she suffered during the regional round of state last weekend. Though Torrey was out for all but a minute — while the Vikings weathered the storm early — the senior wasn’t her usual self and got into foul trouble in the third quarter.
Up 37-30, Neah Bay went on a 7-0 run to tie the game, and after going bucket-for-bucket for a bit, Bay took a 51-44 lead with about a minute and a half left, practically putting the game out of reach.
The Vikings made it a game late, with Hailey Brooks making a 3-pointer to cut it to three with 10 seconds left, but a made free throw from Neah Bay’s Allie Greene ended any hope for overtime for Mossy.
All the while, Caelyn Marshall — the Vikings’ leading scorer with 17 points — and Torrey battled foul trouble.
“We got in a little bit of foul trouble in that second half and we got hesitant on defense,” Moorcroft said. “We were afraid to pick up more fouls, which unfortunately, led to more fouls. That momentum killed us offensively, it wasn’t our night. The girls played hard and gave everything they had. I couldn’t ask for anything more from them, they’ve worked hard all season.”
Brooks finished with 15 points and three rebounds, and Torrey had nine points, five rebounds, and four assists in her final game as a Viking.
Those three seniors — Torrey, Brooks, and Marshall — are among Mossyrock’s winningest senior groups in program history, and finish their careers with back-to-back trophies at the state tournament after finishing sixth last season, multiple league championships and a district title this past year.
That success isn’t lost on Moorcroft, who took over as coach when those three were freshmen.
“They’re like little sisters to me,” Moorcroft said. “I’ve had them all four years. Their drive and dedication to everything that they do, not just basketball, is incredible. They’re great athletes, people, and young women. I’m excited to see what the future has in store for them.”
