YAKIMA — Hana Wilson sank a jumper at the buzzer to spark Port Townsend to a one-point 41-40 victory over Chewelah in the first round of the Class 2A girls basketball tournament Wednesday night at the SunDome.
“I think that gives us a lot of confidence.”‘ said Port Townsend coach John Stroeder. “Now the girls know they can win.”
The Redskins were behind 40-36 late in the game but Wilson hit a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left to bring the Redskins within one, 40-39. Stephanie Kirkendoll, who had a game-high four assists, passed the ball to Wilson on the play.
Chewelah then took a shot but Lexi Paoli blocked it for Port Townsend. The Redskins got the ball back and took a timeout with 8 seconds remaining.
When play resumed, the Redskins took the clock down as Wilson took the final shot just before the buzzer.
Wilson, who made only two of her first 12 shots of the game, ended up making five of 16 and had a team-high 13 points. Kirkendoll added 12.
Paoli had nine points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Port Townsend (19-5) will play the winner between Orting (13-10) and Mount Baker (15-7) in the championship quarterfinals at 9 p.m. today.
“We’re one game away from getting a trophy,” Stroeder said
The last-minute victory broke the Redskins’ recent state jinx where they had lost six games in a row until Wednesday.
“We got the monkey off our backs,” Stroeder said.
State 2A first round Cashmere 42, Forks 28
YAKIMA — Joe Boyle scored 14 points and led the Cashmere Bulldogs past Forks 42-28 Wednesday morning in the first round of the Class 2A boys state tournament.
The Bulldogs (20-4) rallied from a 12-9 deficit after one quarter with an 18-4 run during the second period that put them ahead 27-16 at the half. Forks (15-9) never got closer.
The Spartans will try to stay alive in the consolation quarterfinals today against Nooksack Valley (17-6) at 9 a.m. in the Yakima SunDome. Today and Friday are do-or-die games in the consolation bracket.
Medical Lake beat Nooksack Valley 58-47 in the first round Wednesday.
Cashmere’s Matt Caples added 11 points and Mac Ovenell eight in the first-round game. Boyle pulled down seven rebounds as the Bulldogs finished with a 24-21 rebounding edge.
Shawn Cole led Forks with 14 points while Jordan Justus added eight. No other Spartan scored more than two points.
The Spartans shot only 27.8 percent from the field by making just six of 29 and made only four of 12 shots from the free-throw line for 33.3 percent.
Cole pulled down a game-high eight rebounds while Fernando Contreras had a team-high three assists. Both Cole and Contreras had three steals each.
DJ Huggins fouled out for Forks, playing 23 minutes.
State 4A first round Snohomish 51, Port Angeles 38
TACOMA — Sophomore Daesha Anderson scored 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting to lead Snohomish to a 51-38 triumph over Port Angeles Wednesday afternoon in the opening round of the state 4A girls basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome.
Amanda Best added nine points and, Emily Cassidy and Tara Angell had seven each for the Panthers (22-2), the top-seeded team in the lower bracket.
Snohomish, which has no senior starters, never trailed and led by as many as 19 points.
The Roughriders (17-9) were led by the 14 points of Brooke Helpenstell. Brianna Allen added 11 points and Trisha Buckingham had 11 rebounds. Port Angeles was just 12-for-38 from the field (32 percent).
The Riders go against fellow West Central District-foe Foss (21-7) in the do-or-die consolation quarterfinals today at noon. Foss lost 58-50 to Richland in the first round.
Foss beat Port Angeles in the West Central District tournament last weekend.
Against Snohomish, Buckingham scored six points and had a team-high four assits. Sarah Bussell led the Riders with four steals.
Port Angeles shot only two free throws in the game compared to the Panthers’ 13 but made both of them.
