By Mike Weber
For Columbia Gorge News
WHITE SALMON — The Columbia High (CHS) Bruin girls basketball team will play a home district playoff game Feb. 13 after finishing as the No. 2 team in the WIAA Class 1A Trico League.
The Bruins extended their win streak to nine straight after two victories last week before ending the regular season with a Feb. 6 loss at Seton Catholic. With their second-place league finish, the Bruins earned a home game in the District 4 playoffs against the Elma High Eagles (4-4 league, 6-9 overall) on Friday. The Eagles are the third-place team from the Evergreen League.
The CHS girls playoff game is the first in more than 20 years for the Bruins. The winner of Friday’s contest will play Feb. 18 versus the winner of a Feb. 13 first-round match-up between the La Center High Wildcats (10-11) and the Montesano High Bulldogs (13-7). Montesano is the second-place team from the Evergreen League.
The No. 12-ranked Bruins (11-3 Trico, 12-5 overall) won, 58-24, Feb. 2 at Castle Rock (3-11 Trico, 5-15 overall). The Bruins had four players in double figure scoring versus the Rockets. Senior Sara Miller led the way with 14 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Junior Joella Posini (12 points, 10 rebounds), junior Taniah Barajas (12 points) and senior Claira Camacho (10 points) also helped contribute offensively.
The Bruins followed with a Feb. 5, 43-15, Gorge rivalry win at Stevenson (0-14 Trico, 2-17 overall). Miller again led the way with 10 points, six rebounds and five steals.
The Bruins, guided by fourth-year Coach Justin Frazier, played on back-to-back days and lost to No. 5-ranked, and now four-time Trico League champion Seton Catholic (14-0 Trico, 17-2 overall) on Feb. 6. The 38-21 loss in their final regular season contest in Vancouver snapped a nine-game win streak.
“I was surprised a little about winning nine straight, but it was well earned for all the hard work that they’ve done for the last couple of years,” said Frazier. “For these girls at times, with the way they’re playing, there’s been a few times that they’ve done some good things that don’t surprise me.”
In eight of the nine games during the streak, the Bruins recorded double digit wins. Columbia played well defensively against Seton, but couldn’t get enough shots to fall in the second half.
The Bruins concluded the regular season by taking second place in the eight-team league standings. Despite finishing tied with the No. 13-ranked King’s Way Knights (11-3 Trico, 14-5 overall), the Bruins earned the No. 2 playoff seed by virtue of their higher RPI computer ranking.
“It’s going to be nice having the home game, and we’re hoping to have a big crowd with all of our fans,” said Frazier. “Our team is almost 100 percent healthy now, and it’s great that we’re healthy going into the playoffs. Having the leadership ability from our seniors has really helped our team a lot this year.”
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