MOUNT VERNON — The Port Angeles girls basketball advanced to state by beating Burlington-Edison 54-46 in the Class 2A regionals at Mount Vernon High School on Saturday.
“We’re very happy,” Port Angeles coach Michael Poindexter said after the game.
“We’re really happy for all the players, but especially the seniors. It really validates what they’ve done in our program for the last three years.”
Those seniors played critical roles for the Roughriders, particularly in the final quarter.
Port Angeles built a 31-20 lead in the third quarter before the Tigers clawed their way back, tying the game at 36.
Senior Krista Johnson broke the tie with a 3-pointer that put the Riders up by three with 5:38 to play.
Port Angeles maintained the lead and Burlington-Edison resorted to fouling in an effort to keep its season alive.
But the Riders were clutch at the charity stripe, with seniors Bailee Jones (5 for 6), Kylee Jeffers (4 for 4) and Maddy Hinrichs (2 for 2) shooting a combined 11 of 12 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
“That’s the No. 1 story, right there,” Poindexter said.
“The other main storyline was Bailee Jones. She played such a confident game and an authoritative game.”
Jones scored a game-high 16 points on 5 of 8 shooting from the field and grabbed six rebounds.
Hinrichs finished with 14 points, including three 3-pointers, and recorded team-highs with seven rebounds and four assists.
Jeffers scored four points and had five rebounds (three on the offensive end), two assists and two steals.
Johnson scored seven points and had a game-high with five steals.
Another senior, Lenora Hofer, scored six points, but all came during a crucial stretch in the second quarter when Port Angeles started to build its lead.
Freshman Nizhoni Wheeler also made some important shots in the second.
The teams combined for nine first-quarter points (Port Angeles led 5-4), and Hofer and Wheeler helped kick-start the Riders’ scoring.
“That was big for us — people putting the ball in the hoop,” Poindexter said.
Port Angeles is making its second trip to state in three years under Poindexter, and third in four years overall.
The Riders will play at the Yakima SunDome starting Thursday. They will learn their first-round opponent this afternoon.
Port Angeles 54, Burlington-Edison 46
Port Angeles 5 14 15 20— 54
Burlington-Edison 4 9 17 16— 46
Individual scoring
Port Angeles (54)
Hofer 6, Hinrichs 14, E. Johnson 1, Jones 16, K. Johnson 7, Jeffers 4, Wheeler 6, Boe, Baxley, Norberg, Lee.
Burlington-Edison (46)
Lopez 12, Breckenridge 12, Heyntsen 4, Rodriguez 2, Capron 11, Agen 5.
