Though a long layoff between games got to the Mossyrock girls basketball team early in its 1B District 4 semifinal matchup with Naselle, it hardly mattered by the end of the contest, with the Vikings taking a dominant 68-26 win Tuesday night to vault into the district title match this Saturday.
The Vikings’ offense had a slow start, but their defense never let the Comets get into a rhythm, holding them to just six points in the first half.
“Coming out of a big break between games we looked a little rough the first few minutes of the first quarter,” Vikings coach Autumn Moorcroft said. “We came out excited and let that excitement get a little ahead of us, but once we calmed down we took care of business.”
Payton Torrey scored a game-high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds, six assists, and seven more steals. Her sister, McKenna, scored 14 points and had seven rebounds, and Hailey Brooks had 19 points and 10 boards. Caelyn Marshall rounded out double-digit scorers with 11 points.
“After losing in the semifinals last year the girls were ready to play today,” Moorcroft said. “That really motivated them.”
The Vikings did not let what happened last year, a 39-34 loss to Naselle, happen again in 2023.
The win punches Mossy’s ticket to the regional round of state, and a district title matchup against Willapa Valley on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Montesano. Valley defeated Taholah, 48-46, in the district’s other semifinal.
