Prep roundup: No. 5 Auburn Riverside stunned by Edmonds-Woodway in 3A state regional loss

If this was March Madness, everyone would be crumpling up and tossing away their now-useless brackets.

The Edmonds-Woodway girl’s basketball team traveled to Puyallup High School and stunned Auburn Riverside, 58-48, in the first round of the Class 3A state tournament.

Nerves got the best of the Ravens (23-2) early, as they opened up the first quarter by giving the ball away on five of their first six possessions.

“They were better prepared than us,” said Auburn Riverside coach Derek Pegram. “Our game plan was not working — we had to switch it up at halftime, and it just didn’t work out.”

The Ravens looked sloppy and a little off their game throughout, committing an uncharacteristic number of turnovers.

“Tonight’s rotation was really weird,” Pegram said. “McKenzi (Williams) was hobbled all week, and we just got Taylor Smith back after she missed 13 games with a sprained MCL.”

Smith, who scored seven points, came off the bench and sported a hefty brace during the game. Williams suffered a partially torn right hamstring during last Saturday’s 50-33 loss to Lincoln — the Ravens’ first loss of the season — and had a noticeable limp while playing.

“It definitely had an effect on her,” Pegram said. “She just wasn’t as aggressive.”

“I couldn’t play to my full ability,” said Williams, who was the Ravens’ leading scorer with 12 points. “I felt about 60-70 percent out there. This is a four- to six-week injury, and I came back in six days.”

After struggling to get her shot to drop in the first half, Williams — the 3A SPSL MVP — scored all of her points during the last two quarters.

“She didn’t practice all week. Yesterday was her first day back,” Pegram said.

It wasn’t just her. The entire team looked hobbled as they attempted to guard the Warriors’ (16-11) leading scorer.

Missy Peterson was all over the court. She was a frequent flyer through a wide-open lane, a tactic that later created opportunities for her to hit some clutch 3-pointers. She finished the night with a career-high 33 points, drilling two deep buzzer-beating 3s to end the second and third quarters.

Peterson was able to solve the usually stout 2-3 zone the Ravens capitalized on all season.

“She got in a groove and it was hard to stop her,” Pegram said. “We have some great athletes on our team; we stuck a couple of girls on her, but when you’re that hot from the field you’re hard to stop.”

Kiana Drumheller and Ali Thurston are the only Auburn Riverside seniors, so they’re built to make a comeback next year. When asked if tonight’s game would fuel her offseason workouts, Williams was emphatic. “Undoubtedly. Next year I will come back a monster.”

“We had a great year. We did something that only one other team has done at Riverside and that’s going undefeated during the regular season,” Pegram said. “I don’t think it has anything to do with what we didn’t do. I think it’s everything they did.”

The Warriors’ next opponent will be determiend through a WIAA state-quarterfinal draw on Sunday.

Lynden Christian 72, Charles Wright Academy 34: Shoni Pritchett scored a team-high 17 points for the Tarriers, but Charles Wright couldn’t hold off the Lyncs and was eliminated from the 1A state tournament.

Sam Van Loo scored a game-high 19 for the Lyncs. Their opponent will be determiend through a WIAA state-quarterfinal draw on Sunday. .

Bothell 45, Curtis 37: The Vikings were unable to overcome a slow start offensively, falling to the Cougars.

Curtis was outscored 26-12 in the first half and trailed by 19 at one point. They rallied a bit in the second half, but were unable to complete the comeback.

Jalaiya Frederick scored a team-high for 13 for the Vikings, who were eliminated from the 4A State tournament with the loss.

Taya Corosdale scored a game-high 17 for the Cougars. Their opponent will be determiend through a WIAA state-quarterfinal draw on Sunday.

This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 11:13 PM with the headline "Prep roundup: No. 5 Auburn Riverside stunned by Edmonds-Woodway in 3A state regional loss."