Jonathan Olson photos from the Spokane Arena today of the Lady Hyaks overtime loss. Nicole Mosley going up for a shot and Tahnee McCrory positioning for a rebound. Both sophomores should be keys to the team next year, along with budding star Elizabeth Thatcher. Desire Werner, shown making a pass, played her last game, along with Cheresse Weidman.

Not only is Northwest Christian 25-0, with many of the wins by blow-outs, this school is in Colbert, just 15 miles outside Spokane. So it will be pretty much a home game today, when the State tournament starts for the powerhouse, against the North Beach High boys.

In other words, the perfect setting for an upset!

Jonathan Olson will be sending reports and photos, from the arena.

In the girls District IV 2B championship game, Napavine ran away from North Beach, 58-29. The girls finish second in the District.

The boys had a lead late in the game, but missed key opportunities to put the win away, and lost to Adna, 52-48. They finished fourth in the District.

Both games were relatively meaningless. The boys and girls already had locked up spots in the State tournament, which begins on Wednesday. 

Follow all the action, right here.

Congratulations, boys and girls basketball teams! You are both headed to Spokane next week, for the State tournament.

Nice picture . . . but now tell us how you really feel.

Hyaks win over Toutle Lake, 48-38 (corrected from an earlier, unofficial score). The win means the North Beach boys join the State-bound girls; both will play in the first round on Wednesday, after this weekend’s District finals.

Nicely played, Coach Moore and company!

Last night, the North Beach High girls basketball team charged back to beat Toutle Lake, and earn a spot in the State tournament. Elizabeth Thatcher and Nicole Mosely were the forces; when these two are on, it spells “WIN” for the Hyaks. They play in the District championship Saturday night, a prelude to the State tournament.

Tonight, it’s gut-check time for the talented boys team. Lose, season over. Win, advance to State tournament (and District final). 

Call me a homer (and you’d be right), but here’s what I see: I see Jamaal Lind, working inside and out for about 17, 19; I see Russell Alfaro busting out on the fast break; I see Jake Ray playing tough D and controlling the paint; I see Derek Archer dishing assists and Tres Pope, again as “Mr. Clutch.”

I see a scoreboard reading: North Beach 75, Toutle Lake 60.

Coach Larry Moore and the crew, earlier this season.

A District playoff win tonight at Chehalis clinched a State tournament appearance for the North Beach High girls basketball team. Sebastian Makinson, Yearbook Editor, reports: “The girls won their game tonight against Toutle Lake 43-40. They were behind until the last 3 minutes of the game and made a miraculous recovery and won the game by 3.”

The North Beach High boys basketball team went up against South Bend last night, a team they crushed by 30 points in a home win last month . . . but lost to by a dozen points in a road loss just a few weeks ago. 

Last night’s pressure-packed playoff game turned out to be a thriller, with the Hyaks escaping with a 54-53 win. A loss would have ended the season. With the win, the boys play Napavine or Toutle Lake on Thursday night (6:30) at Chehalis. A win means a spot in the State tournament for the 17-6 Hyaks.

The North Beach girls team, 13-9 after two big playoff wins, play against Toutle Lake tonight (6:30) at Chehalis. A win means a spot in the State tournament, and a district championship game on Saturday night. If they lose, they have to earn the State spot with a win on Thursday night (6:30) at Centralia.

Jamaal Lind came through with 17 points, Rusell Alfaro had 15 and Tres Pope and Derek Moore added 11 each as the North Beach High boys defeated Willapa Valley, 66-50. The 2B tournament game was held last night at Chehalia. A loss would have ended the season; instead, the Hyaks move on to play South Bend Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., at Centralia. Larry Moore’s team is now 16-6.

Highest ever finish for North Beach High.

Mike McGregor, photo: