The District 4 tournament is underway for boys basketball. In order for Ridgefield to join in the fun, they rocked Aberdeen 95-65 in the play-in round on Thursday, Feb. 12.
After the tightly contested fourth quarter, any time the Aberdeen Bobcats went to the basket, it felt like there was something in the way as the Ridgefield defense stood tall in the paint and the Spudder offense piled it on. By halftime, the score landed at a 49-30 Spudder advantage. The lead continued to grow to a consistent 30-point advantage in the second half en route to the victory, guaranteeing a couple more games for Ridgefield.
“We’re in the postseason now,” Spudders head coach Jason Buffum said. “It’s time to grind away and try to get some time.”
One problem for Ridgefield: the bracket landed them a date in Longview for Valentine’s Day against the top team in 2A basketball — R.A. Long High School. The Spudders were sent to the loser bracket after suffering a 67-38 loss on Saturday, Feb. 14.
In order to clinch a state berth, the Spudders now have to traverse three loser-out matchups, with the first game hosting the No. 2 seed out of the Evergreen Conference in Black Hills High School on Tuesday, Feb. 17, but results were unavailable as of press time. If the Spudders advance, they would next face the loser of Woodland versus Tumwater on Thursday, Feb. 19, at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.
The Woodland Beavers’ path to the state tournament as the No. 2 seed out of the 2A Greater St. Helens League began with a nail-biter in a 52-50 finish over the W.F. West Bearcats on Saturday, Feb. 14. The Beavers advanced to just one win away from clinching a state berth. The Tumwater Thunderbirds landed in the way for the Beavers, but results were unavailable at press time for the Feb. 17 matchup at Woodland High School.
A win lands Woodland a spot in the district championship — with both teams clinching a state berth — set for Saturday, Feb. 21, at Kelso High School at 8 p.m. A loss on Feb. 17 will send the Beavers to the loser bracket against the winner of Ridgefield versus Black Hills, slated for Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7:45 p.m. at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.
In 1A, the La Center Wildcats began their District 4 tournament journey at Montesano High School on Thursday, Feb. 12, resulting in a 75-56 loss. The Wildcats next played King’s Way Christian High School on Tuesday, Feb. 17, in a loser-out game. The results were unavailable at press time. A win would send the Wildcats to Centralia High School for Saturday, Feb. 21, against the loser of Kalama versus Fort Vancouver in a winner-to-state, loser-out match.
