YAKIMA — There’s a lot to be proud of for the 2024-25 Woodland girls basketball team.
The Beavers won 18 games, made it back to the state tournament for the first time since 2014, and made it back to Yakima for the first time since 2006. In due time, those accomplishments will be what stick with these Beavers.
But late Wednesday night in the Yakima SunDome, it was hard to think of anything other than the missed opportunities.
“The game gives, and the game takes,” Woodland coach Glen Flanagan said. “Sometimes you don’t end up on top. It just wasn’t our night.”
The Beavers had their chances late in both regulation and overtime, but fell to Bainbridge 44-40 in the Round of 12 at the 2A State Tournament.
The Spartans are through to the quarterfinals, while the Beavers’ season is over.
“A lot of girls would die to end up here,” Flanagan said. “They did a great job just to get here. We showed why we’re one of the top 12 teams in the state.”
Woodland had chances late despite a slow start. The Beavers scored just one point in the first five and a half minutes of the game and finished the first quarter with just six points.
Addi Stading went to work in the second, scoring six points, and Makynzie Guthrie added a three to help the Beavers (18-5) take their first lead into the break. They went up by as much as seven late in the third, but a 9-2 Bainbridge run tied the game at 33 with 5:35 to play.
From that point on, neither team led by more than two until there was less than 10 seconds remaining in OT.
Woodland had the final possession of regulation, and they had the chance to inbound the ball with 1.5 seconds remaining. Guthrie found Kennedy Bockert, who was able to get a shot from the elbow, but it didn’t fall.
With just under 20 seconds left in overtime, the Beavers trailed by two, but had the ball and had plenty of time to set up a play. They turned it over just past half court and never got a shot off.
A pair of Bella Ramirez free throws iced the game, and Woodland finished the overtime period with just two points.
“It’s tough,” Flanagan said. “We needed to hit some shots. We made some costly turnovers. But it’s basketball.”
Bockert finished the night with a team-high 15 points as well as nine rebounds, while Stading finished with eight points, three steals, and two assists.
Lainey Haden earned praise from Flanagan for her defensive effort, and she also finished with six points. Carly Coltrin brought down 10 rebounds, scored six points, and blocked a pair of shots.
It was the final game for Stading, Lainey Haden, and Haley Strickland, the group’s three seniors.
“They battled,” Flanagan said. “I was proud of them. I wish I could have got them two more games, but it didn’t quite end up that way.”
“They stuck together,” Flanagan said. “I think that’s one of the reasons they got here. I know it's cliché. But they loved each other, they appreciated each other, and they played hard.”
