The Woodland girls basketball squad started off their 2A Greater St. Helens League campaign with a low-scoring 43-31 win over Ridgefield High School on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
The Beavers appeared to have taken a disagreement with a no-call on the first play of the game personally as they propelled to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter in enemy territory. The Woodland girls nearly held on to that same lead total at the final whistle, earning a 12-point road win.
Beavers head coach Glen Flanagan said he was happy with his team’s performance on defense. On offense, they enter the fresh season with the same mindset as last year: score under the hoop.
Just one problem, they are without their key player for two straight seasons as Kennedy Bockert now plays at the 4A level for the Skyview Storm for her junior season. With the gameplan not changing too much, the difference on the roster has created a growing pain.
“It was tough because we played all summer,” Flanagan said. “She didn’t move until August and so our whole summer, every game we played was with her. We could do different things with two bigs. But, you know, we still have good posts.”
Flanagan highlighted the efforts by junior forward Liberty Christopherson and junior forward Carly Coltrin to fill the gap and continue to develop game after game, practice after practice.
“We play good basketball,” Flanagan said. “Everybody runs five out these days. So we just try to get closer shots because closer shots have a better chance of going in. So we still try to do that. That’s our philosophy.”
The Beavers did hit from deep as sophomore Makynzie Guthrie led the night with 21 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Flanagan was thrilled with the rebounding performance by his squad as junior guard Emma Barrow added 10 rebounds, Christopherson had eight rebounds and Coltrin added an additional 10 boards.
The Beavers next played the Mark Morris Monarchs on Thursday, Dec. 11 and lost 50-46. They next played La Center High School in a non-league matchup resulting in a X-X win/loss on Friday, Dec. 12. The Beavers traveled to Hockinson High School to resume league play on Monday, Dec. 15, but results were not available as of press time. Woodland girls basketball is slated to resume after the New Year with a home game against R. A. Long High School on Jan. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgefield Spudders followed up with a 61-47 loss to Columbia River High School on Thursday, Dec. 11. They next played Mark Morris High School on Tuesday, Dec. 16, but results were unavailable at press time. Ridgefield will host Hockinson High School on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.
