The Prairie boys basketball team came to Kelso to claim sole possession of second place in the 3A Greater St. Helens League.
The Falcons left by running away with it.
Zeke Dixson and Aidan Fraly scored 16 points each as Prairie used a 19-3 run in the second half to pull away from Kelso for a 67-41 win Tuesday.
“Basketball is a game of runs,” Zeke Dixson said. “We went on a run; they went on a run. I knew they’d strike back, but I think we just had more runs than they did.”
The win improved Prairie to 5-2 in league with three to play and gave the Falcons a head-to-head sweep of the Hilanders (4-3 in league).
After Prairie then Kelso traded 7-0 runs to open the game, Jimmy Barton hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give Prairie a 17-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Kelso cut the margin to 29-25 before Prairie finished the half with six straight for a 35-25 lead.
After the Hilanders hit two 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter, Prairie launched on its 19-3 run, including scoring the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to seal the game away.
Wyatt Brown led Kelso with 16 points, while Gage Tippery hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14.
“It’s a big win for second place, but also to get that tiebreaker over Kelso,” Prairie interim head coach Jimmy Tuominen said. “But that just makes our next game against Fort Vancouver that much more important.”
PRAIRIE 67, KELSO 41
PRAIRIE – Aidan Fraly 16, Jimmie Barton 6, Zeke Dixson 16, AJ Dixson 10, Mark Frazier 4, Gabe Lilly 0, Hayden Rose 2, Brady Gagnon 6, Reece Walling 7. Totals 28 (8) 3-3 67.
KELSO – Josh Webb 2, Gage Tippery 14, Reese Hall 1, Wyatt Brown 16, Ethan Mitchell 0, Drew Tack 4, Dillon Davis 0, Tanner Davis 4, Ethan Moyer 0. Totals 16 (6) 3-6 41.
Prairie 17 18 12 20—67
Kelso 10 15 9 7—41
