ACH, Columbia meet again in rematch of District 7 title game

The last time ACH and Columbia met, the Warriors sent the Lions packing, earning the top spot out of District 7. The result? ACH needed just one game to advance to Hardwood Classic, while the Lions needed back-to-back wins. Both teams held up their end of the bargain last weekend and now meet again in the State 1B girls’ semifinals, with a berth in the title game on the line.

In the other State 2B boys’ semifinal, Bear Creek and Napavine will try and earn a date in the championship with Northwest Christian. Napavine cruised by Lake Roosevelt in its first round game, while the Grizzlies needed overtime to beat Waitsburg-Prescott.

ALMIRA/COULEE-HARTLINE VS. COLUMBIA

Madeline Isaak and Nikki Osborne have combined for nine points in the early going as the Warriors have opened a 10-point lead with 2:07 remaining, leading the Lions 14-4.

ACH 23, Columbia 6 through one quarter

Sarah Gloyn scores the last seven points of the quarter, helping the Warriors take a 17-point lead through one quarter. No player has more than two points for the Lions, who can not find a way to slow down the ACH offense to this point.

So much of the Columbia gameplan is predicated on the speed and tenacity of its full court press. But against a speedy and athletic ACH squad, the Lions have been unable to force turnovers. What’s more, ACH’s ease in breaking the press has led to a mulititued of easy buckets as Osborne and Isaak have a combined 23 points already.

ACH 41, Columbia 12 halftime

Oborne finishes the half with 17 points and Isaak adds 12 points as the Warriors push their lead to 29 at the break. It has been vastly one-sided for a semifinal game and the Lions will look to shake it up starting in the second half.

The Lions have started the half on a 7-4 run, but it has hardly made a dent in the Warriors’ lead.

ACH 56, Columbia 25 through three quarters

Osborne has 21 points through three quarters to lead the Warriors. Julie Ann Larrew has eight to lead Columbia.

The Lions cut the lead to 16 with a 16-1 run to start the fourth quarter, getting eight points from Elizabeth Larrew.

ACH 64, Columbia 49 final

BEAR CREEK VS. NAPAVINE

Napavine 14, Bear Creek 7 through one quarter

Led by David Lorton’s hot hand, the Tigers have doubled the Grizzlies through the first eight minutes.

Napavine 27, Bear Creek 17 halftime

The Tigers have led by as many as 14 in the first half and have weathered a couple of runs by the Grizzlies to stand out front by 10 at the break. Lorton scored 13 points, hitting three 3-pointers and Colton Brown added nine points and five rebounds for the Tigers.

Lorton continues to fire dagger after dagger, hitting two more 3-pointers and scoring the first eight points of the second half. The lead is 18 with the outburst by Lorton, with Bear Creek held scoreless for the first 1:45 of the quarter.

Napavine 41, Bear Creek 24 through three quarters

Too much David Lorton. The Grizzlies could not stop the hot-shooting Lorton to start the third quarter and now face a seemingly insurmountable 17-point deficit with one quarter to play.

Somehow, the Grizzlies have mae this a game. An 11-0 run in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter has the lead back to single digits on a 3-pointer by Luke Blankenbeckler. Lucas Peterson had five points in the run.

Brown’s breakaway layup with 1:30 remaining seems to be the end of the line for Bear Creek as Napavine’s lead is once again double figures at 47-36.

Napavine 53, Bear Creek 39 final