Lady Mules win district title

The Wahkiakum Mules girls basketball team won the 2B District IV Championship on Saturday night, beating Napavine 49-47 at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.

The Lady Mules spent much of the game chasing down Napavine’s lead, and with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter, Sam Boyce tied the game up at 45-45 sending up a long bomb from three point range. Napavine scored and regained the lead 45-47 but Peyton Souvenir answered with another three point shot with 43.9 seconds left in the game, and the Mules were up by one, 48-47. A Napavine player plowed into a Mule defender and the referee called a block, sending Napavine to the line. The Tiger missed both shots and Kaylee Bryant was fouled on the rebound. She went to the line and missed both her free throws.

With seven seconds left, Tori Wegdahl was fouled. She missed her first attempt and hit her second, increasing the Mule lead to two, 49-47. Napavine drove the ball to their end of the court and sent up a desperation shot, but it did not connect and with 0.1 seconds left in the game, Bryant was fouled again.

For the fifth time in the last six meetings with Napavine, their coach got a technical foul. Bryant missed both her free throws, and Baylee Olsen went to the line for the technical and missed as well.

The missed shots were soon forgotten and the celebration began as the Lady Mules and their fans joyfully flooded the floor. The Lady Mules cut down the nets, posed for pictures, hugged friends and family and burst into Wahkiakum High School’s alma mater for their fans.

Mules 8 14 14 13 49

Napavine 12 11 17 7 47

Bryant led the teams with a double double with 16 points 11 rebounds, one assist, and two blocks. Souvenir had 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Olsen added nine points, four rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block. Boyce had nine points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals. Wegdahl scored three points and had seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. Maddie Mace added two points. Jessica Thomas had one rebound. Savannah Burdick had four rebounds and one steal.

The Mules will face Ilwaco in Regional play, but time and place have yet to be determined.