Lady Loggers shut out Ilwaco final period to post 46-40 upsetONALASKA-The Lady Loggers outscored Ilwaco 13-0 in the final period to earn a 46-40 upset victory over Ilwaco there Tuesday in Southwest Washington League play.

The Lady Fishermen had built a 40-31 lead near the end of the third period with the 21 points of 6-foot post Ashley Kitzman and guard Robyn Unruh’s 11 tallies being just one more than their opponent’s total at that point. Onalaska, who was winless entering the game, saw freshmen Kaylie Stanley hit a big three-pointer in the final period and Sarah Petrino pump in nine points in the contest. Junior Anna Hall added 14 points and 14 rebounds for a “double-double” for Ony.

Kitzman suffered an ankle injury with about six minutes remaining in the contest and was not able to return to action. Assistant Coach Elmo Wise stated, “We played hard even when Ashley went out of the game.”

Coach Ned Bittner said, “We pretty much had the game under control, but the scrappy Loggers wouldn’t go away. In the last quarter we had some good looks (at the basket) and got to the line once, but did not convert.”

Even with a decided height advantage, Ilwaco was out-rebounded by the Lady Loggers 35-26. Both teams sank four of their eight foul shots and the Lady Fishermen were more accurate than their foes from the field, making 16-41 for 39 percent to Ony’s 18-52 for 35 percent.

Turnovers were about even, but the large rebounding edge in favor of Onalaska and the scoring draught by Ilwaco the entire last quarter spelled doom for the Lady Fishermen who are now 1-4 overall and 1-3 in league. Unruh summed up the team’s feelings by saying, “We were really disappointed. This was a team (Onalaska) we were supposed to beat.”

“The rest of the month of December does not get any easier. We will need to battle back into the League the hard way,” Bittner concluded.

Elmo Wise’s junior varsity took a convincing 41-13 win away from Ony as nine of his players were in the scoring column.

Ilwaco-Ashley Kitzman 21, Unruh 11, Holly Hocking 4, Anna Kitzman 2, Ariel Barker 2

Onalaska-Reynolds 2, E. Abrahamson 4, A. Abrahamson 3, K. Stanley 6, Petrino 9, Hall 14, Hadaller 8

Lady Panthers run past Ilwaco 72-51ILWACO – White Pass prevailed 72-51 in a hotly-contested Southwest Washington League tussle at Aase Gym Friday. The game highlighted a battle of styles of play.

The Lady Panthers utilized a tenacious three-quarter court pressure defense and lightening-quick guard play as they were able to hold off the Lady Fishermen’s superior scoring punch inside and 1-3-1 and 2-3 zone defenses.

“Our game plan was working,” Coach Ned Bittner said. “If we could have made more free throws we could have been right with them.”

Ilwaco shot 21 freebies in the second period alone and attempted a season – and possibly decade – high 41 tries from the charity stripe, sinking only 20 (49 percent). White Pass was whistled for 29 fouls to Ilwaco’s 18.

The game was tied 24-24 with four minutes left in the second quarter when Ashley Kitzman scored two of her 24 points on a cross-over move in the lane. Kitzman’s ankle was badly swollen from an injury Tuesday.

“She played a courageous game,” Assistant Elmo Wise praised.

A turning point in the fray came at the 6:14 mark of the third quarter when Ilwaco, trailing 44-40, was called for an intentional foul. Lady Panther freshman-sensation, Breanna Moody sank both of her free throws and then scored eight of her 24 points during the ensuing 14-2 White Pass run that put the contest out of reach at 58-42.

The Lady Panther’s press created a whopping 35 turnovers to 15 of their own, but Ilwaco hustled to out-rebound the visitors 44-35. Ilwaco was 14-44 from the field (32 percent) and White Pass made 28-72 for 39 percent accuracy, while sinking 11-21 foul shots (52 percent).

Ariel Barker and Holly Hocking added nine points and Anna Kitzman, who had to sit out part of the contest after a hard fall, added seven.

Bittner said, “I was proud of our effort after coming off a tough loss and for not having Ashley Kitzman able to practice all week.”

Four of the Lady Panthers were disqualified and Moody had to sit out over a quarter after being saddled with her fourth foul.

“This was our best game of the season,” Bittner praised, “and it came against the best team we’ve played so far.”

Ilwaco is now 1-4 in the SWW and 1-5 overall and the Lady Panthers are tied with Napavine for the league lead at 5-0 and 6-0 overall.

White Pass edged the junior varsity 42-39. Freshmen Haley Kaercher scored seven and Melanie Bliss knocked down 10 points to top the up-and-coming Ilwaco JV’s.

White Pass – Moody 24, Riffe 12, Andrew 12, Ashley 10

Ilwaco – Ashley Kitzman 24, Unruh, Holly Hocking 9, Anna Kitzman 7, Ariel Barker 9, Bonnie Perez 2