PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL: Forks aiming for first league title since 2008

Forks Spartans.

Forks Spartans.

OCOSTA — The Forks girls basketball team got big contributions from the Johnson sisters and put themselves in position to win a share of the Pacific 2B League championship tonight at home.

If the Spartans (9-2, 14-5) beat Chief Leschi (7-5, 10-8) tonight, they will likely tie for the league championship, their first in girls basketball since 2008.

Forks put themselves in the driver’s seat with an 80-28 win over Ocosta on Monday.

Despite the final score, the game was actually close early. Ocosta held a 16-12 lead after the first quarter.

“That was our worst quarter of basketball all year. We were low energy. Ocosta came out firing and ready to play,” said coach David Hurn. “Whatever the situation was, we weren’t ready to play basketball.”

The Spartans responded in a big way, outscoring Ocosta 20-2 in the second quarter and 25-2 in the third. For the rest of the game, Forks outscored the Wildcats 68-12. Hurn said the Spartans’ defense and steals made the difference.

“Keira [Johnson] led the charge,” Hurn said.

Johnson had one of her biggest games of the year with 30 points, 10 rebounds and nine steals. Her sister Bailey Johnson had a career-high 19 points. Kadie Wood added 17 points.

Tonight’s game that begins at 6 p.m. is the Spartans final home game of the year. It will be the last home game for seniors Kyra Neel, Wood and Casadie Whorton.

The Spartans could win the league title outright with a win, but it’s likely they will share the title with either one or two other teams. Raymond (9-2) is playing South Bend (3-8) and Ilwaco (9-2) is playing North Beach (1-10) tonight, two games that Raymond and Ilwaco should win.

Forks 80, Ocosta 28

Forks 12 20 25 23 — 80

Ocosta 16 2 2 8 — 28

Forks (80) — K. Johnson 30, B. Johnson 19, Wood 17, Whorton 6, Wallerstedt 5, Ramos 3.

Life Christian 50, East Jefferson 31

PORT TOWNSEND — The East Jefferson girls basketball team remains in solid position for a playoff spot, despite a 50-31 loss to 9-3 Life Christian on Monday night.

The Rivals, who also won Friday 44-21 over Charles Wright, currently sit at 6-6 in the Nisqually League (7-9 overall), tied for fourth place with Cascade Christian. They played Tuesday on the road against Bellevue Christian (13-0, 16-0 No. 5 RPI) after press deadline. East Jefferson also has to play a very tough Annie Wright (12-2) team on the road next week, but has a pair of very winnable games at Vashon (5-7) on Friday and Klahowya (3-8) on Feb. 9.

If the Rivals can beat Vashon and Klahowya, that would leave them with eight league wins and a likely playoff spot. Cascade Christian has a couple of easy games left against Charles Wright and Seattle Christian and a tough game against Life Christian.

In Monday’s loss, coach Lorraine Rimson said the Rivals seemed out of sync.

“I was not pleased with our focus,” she said. She said freshman Penina Vailolo played well and Alyssa Vandenberg continues to be the floor leader for the Rivals, averaging 15-16 points and 10 rebounds a game.

The Rivals next game is 5:30 p.m. Friday at Vashon.

Crescent 37, NW Christian 18

LACEY — The Crescent girls basketball team played its sixth game in eight days on Monday, beating Northwest Christian on Monday 37-18.

It was the third win in the past four games for the Loggers (6-7).

“Defense kept the [Loggers] in it until the offense could get going,” said coach Mike Hazelett.

Freshman Naomii Sprague led the Loggers with a triple-double of 15 points, 11 steals and 12 assists. Kaylen Manson added nine points and gave the Loggers “great defensive play,” Hazelett said.

Crescent hosted the No. 1-ranked Neah Bay girls (13-1) Tuesday night after press deadline.

More in Sports

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Wilder Junior's Hunter Tennell bats against Kingston on Saturday in Port Angeles.
AMERICAN LEGION: Wilder Junior sweeps, extends winning streak to 13

Wilder Junior stretched its winning streak to an impressive… Continue reading

Port Angeles Lefties
PORT ANGELES LEFTIES: Bellingham takes two of three from Lefties

The Port Angeles Lefties ran into a buzzsaw of pitching… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Lefties first baseman Will White tries to catch Seattle Gumberoos baserunner Eoin Buechs off the bag during Thursday's game at Port Angeles Civic Field.
LEFTIES: Pound out 17 hits in win over Edmonton

Port Angeles gained the upper hand — and the… Continue reading

SPORTS ON TV: Sports broadcast highlights for July 4-7

SPORTS ON TELEVISION July 4 9 a.m. FS1 UEFA Women’s Soccer, EURO… Continue reading

Port Angeles Lefties
PORT ANGELES LEFTIES: Lefties’ five-game win streak snapped in Edmonton

The Port Angeles Lefties had their five-game winning streak… Continue reading

AMERICAN LEGION: Wilder A falls to Kingston Kings

The Kingston Kings scored four runs in the first… Continue reading

Sequim's Jericho Julmist, left, and Port Angeles' Brock Hope, will play in an Adidas 3SSB tournament in South Carolina later this month.
AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Local hoops stars to play in Adidas 3SSB tournament

Two standout basketball players from the Olympic Peninsula are… Continue reading