The La Center Wildcats got the best of both worlds Tuesday.
An 80-69 district semifinal win over Montesano locked up a spot in the Class 1A state tournament was first and foremost; their No. 2-ranked RPI proves that.
But the second is just as important as the first. The victory means the Wildcats also will defend their 1A District IV title and against a familiar opponent.
Friday’s district title game is an all-Trico League showdown for the second straight year between La Center and King’s Way Christian, two teams that split their regular-season meetings, including an overtime win by La Center on King’s Way’s floor to wrap up their third consecutive league title.
King’s Way topped 1A Evergreen champion Forks, 73-45, its district semifinal Tuesday.
No doubt, La Center players and coaches stated, Round III should be just as thrilling as the first two. Tip off is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Chehalis’ W.F. West High School.
“It’s going to be a battle,” said senior Avery Seter.
Seter was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures Tuesday in the game played at King’s Way Christian High School. He and Colby Shaw had 17 points to go along with Matt Bryant’s team-best 20 and Hunter Ecklund’s 16.
For a team that’s topped 90 or more points seven times, the Wildcats’ pressure defense in the second half is what gave them momentum for good after trailing 42-39 at halftime.
Montesano’s six second-quarter 3-pointers — highlighted by Sam Winter’s 4 of 9 first-half performance — kept the Bulldogs in it, and led by as many as 36-30.
But the Wildcats eventually wore Montesano down behind its press. On three straight possessions to end the third quarter, La Center’s Bryant, Ecklund and Evan Norris stole the in-bounds off the press and hit field goals.
All of a sudden, a tie game at 49-all with 5:39 to play in the third was 66-54 La Center to end the quarter.
A huge momentum boost, Bryant said, who hit four of La Center’s 11 3s as a team.
“That was awesome,” he said. “We were emphasizing being aggressive … that’s what we’ve worked on all year and it finally came together as a team.”
Montesano never got closer than six points the rest of the way. La Center’s win is over the same Bulldogs team that ended the Wildcats’ season at regionals last year, one game shy of reaching the Yakima Valley SunDome for the state tournament.
Not anymore.
With a No. 2 RPI ranking in Class 1A, La Center is a lock for a top-8 seed for the Class 1A state tournament. The top eight teams in each classification play at regionals and a spot in the state quarterfinals goes to the winner.
And now things shift to Friday where La Center hopes to cut down a set of nets for a second straight year, repeating as district champions. La Center hasn’t won back-to-back district titles since the 1990s.
“It’s something pretty special for us,” Seter said. “We know King’s Way is going to be tough. We’re looking forward to it.”
LA CENTER 80, MONTESANO 69
MONTESANO — Braden Dohrmann 0, Evan Bates 7, Trace Ridgway 10, Tanner Nicklas 12, Sam Winter 20, Carter Olsen 4, Payson Parker 0, Shaydon Farmer 11. Totals 25 (7) 12-14 69.
LA CENTER — Colby Shaw 17, Tobey Deemer 5, Evan Norris 5, Avery Seter 17, Matt Bryant 20, Hunter Ecklund 16. Totals 31 (11) 9-15 80.
Montesano 17 25 12 15 — 69
La Center 21 18 27 14 — 80
