NASELLE – Like a prize fighter in trouble, the Naselle Comettes fought back after being rocked back on their heels, to catch the Willapa Valley Vikings in the closing minute of their match-up to decide the Pacific League girls basketball championship. NHS came into the Monday, Jan. 3, contest undefeated in 13 league games and the Vikings had only one loss – to NHS.

For over two quarters of the game, the Vikings had things going their way and had NHS close to hanging on the ropes early in the third quarter. The Vikings out shot the Comettes, they out rebounded them, they out defended them and, yes, they out hustled them for loose balls and errant soft passes. A case of the last home game jitters, winner gets all the marbles, perhaps?

Whatever it was, NHS shook it off and began to come back. They finally took the lead with only 1:01 left to play after holding the Vikings scoreless in the last half of the fourth quarter. They outscored Valley 9-0 for the final 4:37 of the game for their 51-47 win. The tying and winning points came on a perfect five-for-five from the foul line in the last minute of play.

The win gave Naselle the Pacific League’s first place seed to the district tournament with a 14-0 record, 18-0 overall. They have to win one of their two remaining games to claim the league championship outright.

It was senior night in the NHS gym, giving recognition to the six Naselle seniors who were playing their last home game for NHS. It was appropriate each of them would play an important part in this game. The six seniors – Nora Darcher, Fritha Davern, Dawn Herman, Tiffany Pauly, Lucy Rubio and Abbie Smith – earned Naselle this big league win.

The Comettes were led by Darcher with 24 points with 20 of those points coming in the second half, including nine for 11 from the foul line, eight of nine in the last period. Pauly had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Davern had nine points and six boards. Play-maker Smith had seven rebounds and six steals, along with five points, including the final two free throws of the game.

Valley had three players in double figures, including Jamie Avery with 12 points, Ashlea Pollard with 11 and five blocked shots and Liz Sheary with 10 points.

The Vikings had the game going their way most of the first half as their hustling defense denied the ball to the Naselle shooters. This was especially true for Darcher, whose four points at the half were far below her usual output. Valley’s defense, keyed by Liz Sheary and Dallas Clements tight coverage of Darcher, was a key factor through the first 16 minutes.

Davern, with seven first half points and a bunch of rebounds and a Rubio “rainbow” three-point shot had kept NHS in the game in the early going. Naselle trailed 11-10 after one.

Valley, with all five players scoring, tallied 15 points in the last five minutes of the second quarter, while holding NHS to only five points, to establish their half-time lead. The Comettes’ offense simply was not meshing as a Darcher three-ball and a total of seven points from Davern, Pauly and Smith were all NHS could muster.

The Comettes’ offense had tailed off and they trailed 20-29 at the intermission. The first half had seen six changes of the lead and one tie before the Vikings surge. The shot blocking of Ashlea Pollard, with five blocks for the game, was a deterrent to the Naselle offense.

“We weren’t as sharp as we have been for some reason,” said assistant coach Tim Wirkkala. “But the girls came through when they had to. Nora really brought us back in the second half. We made some changes in Nora’s positioning and she started to get open more in the second half.”

NHS fell behind by as much as 11 points, twice, in the opening minutes of the second half. But Darcher, with a big hand from Pauly, Smith and Davern on the boards and a pressure defense keyed by Rubio and Smith, began to get the Naselle team game moving. Darcher was to score 11 points in the third period while Pauly’s rebounding and two key steals, as well as her four points, got NHS closer.

Darcher’s playing prompted Valley coach Tom Betrozoff to compliment her performance, as he stated she took over the game in the second half.

However, the Vikings weren’t about to quit as they had their biggest scoring period of the game with 18 points. The Vikings led by eight with a minute left in the third quarter only to have Naselle get within four points. Pauly, who scored off a Herman assist and Darcher’s steal followed by her two free throws, closed the score to 35-39, Valley, after three quarters of play.

That was but a preview of what was yet to come.

Like two fighters, the teams punched and counter-punched. Darcher was to provide most of the Comets’ fourth quarter “punch” with nine points while Smith, Pauly and Davern countered Valley’s scoring with 7 points. However, the Vikings still led 45-42 after a Smith steal led to a Pauly hoop with less than five minutes left to play. A Vikings hoop at the 4:37 mark gave Valley a 47-42 lead. Those points were to be Valley’s last points of the game as missed opportunities and the Comettes’ “D” shut them out. Naselle was to go on a 9-0 run.

Two Pauly steals led to scores by Davern and Darcher and the Comettes were within one with 3:03 to play. On offense, he Vikings suddenly could not hit the shots they were able to get as they were harassed by NHS or they were losing the ball to the team playing in the home white jerseys.

After a time out, the Vikings threw the inbound pass out of bounds as the “collar got tighter.” Turnovers, by both teams, prevented any scoring and Naselle coach Rob Dalton called for a time out with 1:30 left to play after Pauly had retrieved yet another defensive rebound.

The Comettes were not able to get off a good shot as the Vikings defense played them tight and the Vikings knocked the ball out of bounds with seven ticks left on the shot clock. Finally, just as the shot clock was about to expire, the Valley defense bailed Naselle out. They fouled Darcher as she threw up a hurried three pointer just as the shot clock buzzer went off.

Darcher was awarded three free throws with 1:01 to play. She swished the first one to tie the score and then rattled in the second one to give the Comettes their first lead since early in the second period. Valley called a time out to try to “ice her” after the second shot, but Darcher came back and put down her third try to give NHS a 49-47 lead.

It was still a long way from being over. Smith pulled down Valley’s missed shot, was fouled on her way down the court and made both halves of her one-and-one for a four point Naselle lead with 47 seconds to play.

It still wasn’t over. Valley again misfired, NHS rebounded, but missed three shots at point blank range. Valley again lost the ball and again NHS couldn’t score from in close. Would you believe one more time? The Comettes got the ball back again with 03.4 seconds left and called a time out.

Now, it was over! The Comettes had their 51-47 win, cinching their first place seed to district by preserving their unbeaten record with a hard earned win over a strong team.

Wirkkala said, “Our six seniors really had a gut-check tonight. They didn’t get rattled at the end and they came back for the win. This was a fun game for the girls as well as for the school and community. It was great to see so many fans there.”

Willapa Valley 11 10 18 8 – 47

Naselle 10 10 15 16 – 51

Willapa Valley (47) – Jamie Avery 12, Ashlea Pollard 11, Liz Sheary 10, Manneman 7, Friese 4, Clements 3; FG – 21/55 = 38 percent, 3s – 1/3 FT – 4/7; Rebounds: Manneman 8; Assists: Friese 5; Blocked shots: Pollard 5; Team fouls (11)

Naselle (51) – Nora Darcher 24, Tiffany Pauly 10, Davern 9, Smith 5, Rubio 3, Herman; FG – 18/58=31 percent, 3s – 2/9, FT – 13/17; Rebounds; Pauly 10, Smith 7, Davern 6; Steals: Smith 6, Pauly 4; Team fouls (9)