State B girls: Brynn McGaughy perfect from the field to lead Colfax’s over Rainier 67-29 in quarterfinals
In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, Brynn McGaughy paused, stepped behind the arc and put up her first and only 3-point attempt of the game.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her miss a shot, to be honest,” said her Colfax teammate Hailey Demler, who was, at least on Thursday evening, absolutely right.
The sophomore McGaughy made that 3 and every other shot she attempted, finishing with 34 points while going 14 of 14 from the floor and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line as the Bulldogs stayed undefeated with a 67-29 victory over Rainier in the State 2B girls basketball tournament quarterfinals at Spokane Arena.
“What a night for her,” Colfax coach Jordan Holmes said, “and I know that if tomorrow that looks different, then somebody else is going to step up. I know that’s how our team responds and reacts.”
Demler, a sophomore, scored 14 points, including nine in the first quarter as the top-seeded Bulldogs quickly built a lead they didn’t relinquish.
McGaughy scored seven points in the first quarter and scored 14 consecutive points for Colfax in the second, doing so in a variety of ways: on putbacks, coast-to-coast drives, jump shots and baskets off inbound passes.
McGaughy also grabbed 12 rebounds, part of a 35-21 advantage for the Bulldogs.
“Some of our kids didn’t shoot as well as they normally do tonight, but they found something else to do,” Holmes said. “They got steals. They were playing defense. They were getting rebounds.”
Colfax senior Jaisha Gibb scored five points and had a team-high five assists. Junior Lauryn York scored seven points on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds. The Bulldogs made 26 of 55 shots (47.2%); the Rainiers shot 13 of 42 (31%).
Sophomore Angelica Askey scored a team-high 10 points for No. 7 seed Rainier, which has no seniors on its roster. Sophomore Brooklynn Swenson added eight points and made 2 of 3 3-point shots.
Colfax’s 67 points were the most scored by a 2B girls team in this tournament.
For McGaughy, the perfect shooting night contrasted starkly with her 1-for-12 shooting line in last year’s state championship game, which the Bulldogs lost to Warden 70-55.
Fourth-seeded Warden will be Colfax’s semifinal opponent on Friday after the Cougars defeated No. 6 seed La Conner 58-43 in an earlier quarterfinal.
Holmes said she is looking forward to the rematch, but also emphasized that no tournament can be won in a single day.
“This matters for tomorrow, but this matters right now, and the way we play this game, win or lose, that rolls into tomorrow,” Holmes said. “… At the end of the day, we tell them: Win. Go win. Do your job, and if somebody else can’t do their job, then somebody else (needs to) step up.”
2B
Warden 58, La Conner 43:
Lauryn Madsen scored 23 points and the fourth-seeded Cougars defeated the sixth-seeded Braves.
Warden advances to play the winner of No. 1 Colfax/No. 7 Rainier in a semifinal contest on Friday at 7:15 p.m. La Conner plays the loser of that game at 12:15 p.m. Ellie Marble led the Braves with 24 points.
Napavine 51, Adna 49:
Grace Gall scored 11 pointsand the third-seeded Tigers defeated the fifth-seeded Pirates.
Napavine advances to play No. 2 Okanogan in a semifinal game on Friday at 9 p.m. Adna plays No. 8 Mabton in a loser-out at 2 p.m. Brooklyn Loose led Adna with 15 points.
Okanogan 87, Mabton 60:
Jacey Boesel scored 25 points with nine rebounds and the second-seeded Bulldogs beat the eighth-seeded Vikings.
Esmeralda Sanchez led the Vikings with 25 points and 13 rebounds.
1B
Mount Vernon Christian 49, Odessa 36: Allie Heino scored 20 points and the fourth-seeded Hurricanes defeated the 11th-seeded Tigers.
Mount Vernon advances to play No. 1 Neah Bay in a semifinal matchup at 3:45 p.m. Odessa plays No. 7 Oakesdale in a loser-out game at 9 a.m. Ashlyn Nelson led Odessa with 15 points.
Neah Bay 60, Oakesdale 45: Allie Greene scored 21 points and the top-seeded Red Devils defeated the seventh-seeded Nighthawks.
Jessie Reed led the Nighthawks in scoring with 13 points.
Inchelium 66, Colton 52:
Zalissa Finley scored 26 points and the fifth-seeded Hornets defeated the third-seeded Wildcats.
Inchelium advances to play second-seeded Mossyrock on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Colton plays Waterville-Mansfield at 10:30 a.m. in a loser-out matchup. Kyndra Stout led the Wildcats with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Mossyrock 61, Waterville-Mansfield 24:
Caelyn Marshall scored 20 points and the second-seeded Vikings beat the eighth-seeded Shockers.
Jimena Garcia and Delainey Nelson led the Shockers with eight points apiece.