RIDGEFIELD — Wyatt Harsh is known more for his touchdown passes on the football field than his shooting touch on the basketball court.
No matter.
He can be clutch in any season.
Harsh, not the first option on the final play, was surprised to find himself with the ball, his team trailing by a point in a Class 2A Greater St. Helens League boys basketball opener. Then he made the winning shot with less than 3 seconds to play, lifting the Woodland Beavers to a 57-56 win at Ridgefield.
“I was so jacked. I didn’t realize there was that little time left,” Harsh said of his first varsity game-winner. Varsity basketball that is.
Woodland coach Jason Buffum said the play was intended to go to one of Woodland’s outside shooters, either Flanagan, who had already made two 3-pointers, or Hayden Huddleston, who finished with 16 points. As soon at Tyler Flanagan caught the ball around a screen, Harsh cut to the basket. But not for a pass.
“I crashed down to get a rebound,” Harsh explained.
Flanagan saw Harsh was open, though, and opted to get a closer look for a teammate.
“Great pass by Tyler,” Harsh said, who then banked in the shot from inside the key.
“He closed his eyes and made it,” Buffum said with a smile.
Harsh did not disagree with that assessment.
Ridgefield called timeout with 2.7 seconds remaining, but the half-court shot after the break was off the mark.
“We were able to come here and sneak away with a win,” Buffum said.
Woodland led for most of the game after a wild start. First, the Beavers led 2-0 before the game started — two free throws from Hayden Huddleston after Ridgefield was called for a pre-game technical foul for dunking in warm-ups. Then the Beavers went 5 for 7 from 3-point range in the quarter and led 26-14 after eight minutes.
Ridgefield chipped away at that deficit for the rest of the game, taking its first lead early in the fourth quarter.
Woodland came right back, going to Bryce Mulder. The 6-foot-11 post went 8 for 9 from the floor and had a game-high 20 points.
Later, with Woodland up by three points, Ridgefield’s Tyler Gottsch scored, then got a steal and another bucket with 29 seconds left to give the Spudders another lead. Gottsch led the Spudders with 18 points.
“There were still 20-something seconds left. Plenty of time. Lots of options,” Buffum told his players in a timeout. “Execute here. Take care of the ball. Go out on our terms.”
“He told us ‘We’re going to score right here.’ ” Harsh recalled. “It just happened to happen.”
Even if it did not happen exactly as planned.
WOODLAND 57, RIDGEFIELD 56
WOODLAND — Bryce Mulder 20, McKay Flanagan 0, Hayden Huddleston 16, Palmer Dinehart 0, Wyatt Harsh 6, Tanner Sixberry 8, Christian Mendez 0, Tyler Flanagan 7. Totals 21 (6) 9-12 57.
RIDGEFIELD — Tim Radosevich 2, Travis Gottsch 18, Drew Williams 3, Cameron Short 6, Logan Moses 0, Kellen Bringhurst 1, Austin Wellman 3, Auston DeHaan 4, Louden Wardius 9, Spencer Andersen 10. Totals 19 (7) 11-15 56.
Woodland 26 9 11 11–57
Ridgefield 14 16 13 13–56
