Girls basketball: Washougal 82, W.F. West 78, OT

The Washougal girls basketball team is alive in the District 4 tournament thanks to a big-time effort from a freshman.

Beyonce Bea scored 33 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation, to send the Panthers to an 82-78 overtime win over W.F. West of Chehalis in a loser-out game Wednesday at Centralia.

The Panthers advance to play Hockinson on Saturday in a winner-to-state game at a site and time to be announced.

Washougal’s hopes of reaching that rematch with Hockinson looked bleak when the Panthers trailed by 11 with a little over three minutes to play in the game. To make matters worse, leading scorer Alyssa Blankenship then fouled out.

But the Panthers hit some big shots to close the game and got within three on a 3-pointer by RaeAnn Allen with 16 seconds to go.

Washougal quickly fouled, sending W.F. West to the line to shoot two free throws. The Bearcats missed both, Washougal got the rebound, then Bea hit the 3-pointer to send it to overtime.

Allen would foul out in the overtime period, so Bea carried the Panthers to victory as Washougal never trailed in the extra period.

“Beyonce was our savior tonight,” Washougal coach Brian Oberg said. “After Alyssa and Rae went out, she took over like she was a senior. She wanted the ball and took it to the hole every time she touched it.”

Oberg also credited another freshman, Kiara Cross, with playing a big defensive game and taking a key charge late in regulation. Lindsey Thomas hit two free throws late to seal the win.

“Every kid we brought into the game did exactly what they were supposed to do,” Oberg said. “We’ve practiced our one-minute drill, two-minute drill, three-minute drill all season, and the practice paid off tonight.”

Blankenship had 19 points, and Allen added 15.

WASHOUGAL 82, W.F. WEST 78, OT

WASHOUGAL — Maggie Hungerford 4, Beyonce Bea 33, Lindsey Thomas 4, RaeAnn Allen 15, Kiara Cross 4, Kaitlyn Reijonen 3, Alissa Lenczowski 0, Sierra Carroll 0, Alyssa Blankenship 19, Kayla Donahue 0, Gibbons 0, Baldwin 0. Totals 28 (5) 21-35 82.

W.F. WEST — S. Haakenson 6, Brumfield 14, Johnson 8, Steen 4, Noble 3, M. Haakenson 7, Strasser 25, Lofgren 11. Totals 29 (4) 16-23 78.

Washougal 15 15 13 29 10–82

WF West 9 21 19 23 6–78