BATTLE GROUND — By the Hudson’s Bay student section, a large yellow sign counted down the “Games ‘Till Dome.”
Chalk up another win for the girls basketball team.
Check off another box — the one with a zero beside it.
Hudson’s Bay beat Port Angeles 58-47 on Saturday in the regional round of the Class 2A state basketball playoffs at Battle Ground High School.
With the win, the No. 3-seed Eagles secured passage to the state quarterfinals for the second time in school history. Hudson’s Bay (18-3) will face either W.F. West or Lynden on Thursday in the Yakima Valley SunDome.
While Hudson’s Bay has matched the program’s high-water mark set in 2007, the Eagles are thinking bigger.
“We’re looking to do things that have never been done before,” said junior Mahaila Harrison.
Harrison led all scorers with 25 points. She was a steady anchor in the first half while her teammates struggled to find their shot, scoring 13 points and helping Bay to a 23-19 halftime lead.
Then, the rest of the Eagles found their offensive rhythm.
Then, Bay turned up its defensive intensity.
Game over.
When Aniyah Hampton crossed up her defender and drove to the basket for a three-point play, Bay had stretched the lead to 38-25 in the late third quarter.
Several Eagles baskets started with a defensive stop, which led to a fast-break opportunity.
“Transition is kind of our game,” Harrison said. “That’s one of my favorite things to do. It always gets us going. Passing to your teammate and watching them finish is always exciting.”
Despite Saturday’s loss, No. 6 Port Angeles (17-5) is still headed to Yakima for a loser-out Round of 12 game Wednesday.
There are no surprises awaiting Hudson’s Bay in Yakima. The Eagles faced top-seeded Tumwater and No. 4 seeded W.F. West in the district tournament.
Harrison said those games — a 33-30 win over W.F. West and a 59-46 loss to Tumwater — showed the Eagles what it takes to compete for a state title.
“It was eye-opening,” she said. “No team is going to be easy even though we’ve gotten the amazing opportunity already to play some of the top teams before we go to state.
HUDSON’S BAY 58, PORT ANGELES 47
PORT ANGELES (17-5) – Isabelle Felton 0, Bailee Larson 0, Jenna McGoff 0, Paige Mason 2, Jayde Gedelman 5, Eve Burke 19, Piper Williams 0, Anna Petty 19, Lexie Smith 2. Totals 19 (3) 6-12 47.
HUDSON’S BAY (18-3) – Mae Carse 0, Promise Bond 4, Miranda Gonzalez 4, Alana Stephens 4, Shakira Gonzalez 0, Devon Johnson-Brown 0, Paytin Ballard 6, Mahaila Harrison 25, Aniyah Hampton 7, Zoriah Jones 8, Emma Mady 0. Totals 23 (2) 10-12 58.
P.Angeles 6 13 6 22— 47
Hud. Bay 7 16 15 20—58
