Jason Buffum (center) sits on the bench with his Ridgefield team during a game last week.
Beavers senior Bryce Mulder raises up with his 6-foot-11 frame and scores easily in a game against Washougal last week.
Jason Buffum built the Woodland boys basketball program to new levels of competitiveness and success over his three years as coach there, most notably with a final eight appearance in the state tournament last season.
Now, his loyalties are with league rival Ridgefield.
When Buffum decided to leave Woodland for the orange and blue over the summer, it instantly became arguably the biggest local winter sports storyline heading into the season. The climax? That comes next Tuesday night, Jan. 31.
A week from now, Buffum and his Spudders will make the short drive up to Woodland. It will be a homecoming party of sorts for Beaver fans.
On the Woodland team, most of the best players are seniors. Each of them was a student of Buffum’s teachings as freshmen. The final home game of their careers will be against their former coach.
The game is going to be incredibly important. Right now, with only two weeks of the season left to go, Woodland sits in fourth place in the league standings at 8-5 overall. Ridgefield sits third at 8-7 overall. At the beginning of the month, when the two teams played in Ridgefield, the Spuds won a tight one, 58-52. In league, both teams are 4-3.
“The first meeting was a great atmosphere,” Buffum said. “When we go to Woodland, it will be a big night, probably some playoff seeds on the line. They will be looking for revenge I am sure.”
Although Buffum says the first meeting wasn’t awkward, his former teammates had different opinions.
Senior captain Tanner Sixberry said there’s no hard feelings about it all, but his star teammate, Bryce Mulder, said it best by adding that “it was definitely weird he was on the other side.”
“I didn’t think it was weird, and I tried telling the kids that before the game … But I think it’s just something that’s always in the back of their mind,” said Beavers coach Andrew Johnson, who coached under Buffum as an assistant before becoming the head man. “I think they realize now they need to just focus on the other team’s players, not the coach. That’s where the game is.”
Last time, Woodland players say the game got away from them on the defensive side of the ball. Oddly enough, the Beavers’ players say they actually knew what the Spudders were trying to do for most of the game.
“They were running the same plays we used to run, but with different names,” said Sixberry with a laugh.
“A few of their plays were really obvious,” added senior guard Devin Rice.
On the other side, Buffum still has loads of respect for his old guys.
“They have three big guys who cause matchup problems, and some quick talented guard play in Harsh and Flanagan,” says Buffum.
What worked well for Ridgefield last time was defensive execution. Quickly rotating over in help defense, limiting easy baskets and dominating the boards were a few specifics from Buffum. Offensively, he said their effectiveness to attack in transition will be important if they want to complete a clean 2-0 sweep of the Beavers.
Woodland obviously will do everything in its power to keep that from happening. Between Buffum’s presence, senior night and playoff standings on the line, they’ve got all the motivation they could possibly ask for.
“We want it bad,” said Mulder.
