BATTLE GROUND — Cassidy Gardner sat on the question awhile before answering.
When was the last time she had a shooting performance as good as Saturday’s 3A girls basketball regional game against Arlington, in which the Portland State-bound senior hit 8 of 15 shots, including 50 percent from 3-point range (5 of 10)?
Think back to December, she said. And naturally, she deflected credit to her teammates post-game Saturday following the top-ranked Falcons’ 55-46 victory at Battle Ground High School.
“My teammates are a big part of that,” she said. … they have enough confidence in me to push the ball up the floor and make sure I’m in rhythm. When I’m in rhythm, I shoot a lot better.”
Gardner, the 3A Greater St. Helens League co-MVP with teammate Brooke Walling, is Prairie’s leading scorer, but not the only 3-point specialist. The Falcons are littered with shooters and 3-point specialists, and Saturday happened to be Gardner’s game.
She hit her rhythm early, scoring Prairie’s first nine points on 3 of 4 3-point shooting minutes into the game on her way to a game-high 25 points. The win sends Prairie to Thursday’s 3A state quarterfinal at 10:30 a.m. Arlington plays in an elimination game Wednesday to open state.
Prairie is in a different situation now from this time a year ago when the Falcons won their 3A elimination regional game, but lost to Stanwood to open the state tournament. That’s why Gardner called Saturday’s win an energy booster heading into the Tacoma Dome.
Prairie never trailed after Walling gave the Falcons an 11-9 first-quarter lead. Walling joined Gardner with double-digit scoring figures (11 points) and also was key defensively with three blocks.
Prairie led by as many as 15 points twice, including Haley Reed’s free throws that made it a 51-36 lead with 3:29 to play.
The Falcons say they had a different edge entering Saturday’s regional game following a third-place finish at bi-districts. The Falcons lost to Bethel in the bi-district semifinals, and then dispatched reigning 3A state champion Gig Harbor for third place.
Now, they’re focused on what they hope to be three straight winner’s bracket games in Tacoma.
“From here on out,” Gardner said, “that’s what matters.”
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PRAIRIE 55, ARLINGTON 46
ARLINGTON — Jordan Bartlow 2, Keira Marsh 9, Abbey Hassing 6, Sierra Scheppele 10, Josie Stupey 7, Allison DeBerry 5, Makenzie Gage 2, Abby Schwark 3. Totals 12 (5) 9-12 46.
PRAIRIE — Meri Dunford 6, Allison Corral 2, Kendyl Carson 4, Brooke Walling 11, Mallory Williams 5, Cassidy Gardner 25, Haley Reed 2, Claire Heitschmidt 0. Totals 17 (6) 15-20 55.
Arlington 9 8 10 19 – 46
Prairie 13 13 15 14 – 55
