Beyonce Bea scored 18 points and McKinley Stotts scored 12 points off the bench as the Panthers held off the persistent Chieftains.
Stotts made four of her team’s nine 3-pointers as Washougal (11-4, 9-1) moved within one win of clinching at least a share of the 2A GSHL title. The Panthers play River again Thursday, then end the regular season at Woodland on Monday.
Columbia River (10-9, 6-5) trailed 25-16 at halftime. But Erin Baker scored all nine of her points during a rally that cut the deficit to three with six minutes left.
Washougal made all eight of its free throws in the fourth quarter to keep the lead.
Chieftains coach Carl Click said Stotts was the difference in the game. River’s defense focused on Bea and Mason Oberg, holding Bea to five points in the first half.
“When you’re sending so much manpower at those two, it’s hard to account for someone like (Stotts),” Click said.
Washougal coach Brian Oberg was happy with how his team kept its poise.
“Columbia River likes to slow the game down,” he said. “Good teams find a way to win ugly, and we did that tonight.”
WASHOUGAL 48, COLUMBIA RIVER 39
WASHOUGAL — Maggie Hungerford 0, Mason Oberg 12, Beyonce Bea 18, Toryi Midland 2, Lindsey Thomas 0, Ashley Gibbons 0, Tianna Barnett 4, McKinley Stotts 12. Totals 15 (9) 9-10 48.
COLUMBIA RIVER — Ellie Furth 4, Liz Canton 0, Kate Kraft 11, Erin Baker 9, Katie Kolbe 4, Anna Klundt 0, Claire Pardue 3, Emma Fisk 8. Totals 16 (4) 3-5 39.
Washougal 10 15 6 17–48
Col. River 8 8 12 11–39
JV — Washougal 39-30.
