Winlock Cuts District 4 1A Nets

Angel Sanchez, Tyler Hertz (#3), Nathan Booth (#21) Jordan Davis (#20) and rest of the District 1A Champions hold up the trophy on Friday night.

Winlock Cardinals basketball:

Effective, vigilant, astute, keen, brisk, striking, capable, athletic.

Ready for State.

Finding adjectives to describe the play of the Winlock Cardinals on Friday night was more difficult than the time they had dispatching Castle Rock 65-42 in the SWWA 1A District Championship game.

Winlock's floor leader Tyler Hertz (#3 in white) had 12 assists on the night.

Looking for THE source of success was almost as difficult. There was big Jake Brown who had 24 points, seven rebounds and several assists. There was the sparkling leadership of Tyler Hertz who scattered 12 assists. Finally, there was the lunch pail twins Nathan Booth and Jordan Davis. Booth accounted for 19 points, generally within the paint and 6 rebounds while Davis quietly produced a double-double with 10 rebounds and 11 points. He also had three assists.

Jake Brown (#24) and the rest of the Winlock defense held Rock big man Zack Gehring (#5) to just 10 points on the night.

A long paragraph only covered the offense. Winlock’s extended defense allowed only one Rocket three pointer and the inside game gave up only 10 points to Rocket big man Zack Gehring. The occasional Rocket score usually resulted from individual athleticism by Chris Tinnney, Steven Horsley, Kyle Karnofski and Dustin Hamilton.

“We came out hitting on all cylinders,” said a pleased Winlock Head Coach Gary Viggers Sr. about their start to finish domination. The Cardinals jumped out to a 9-2 lead and were never behind.

Only three times did the Rockets even score consecutive baskets to make up any ground on the Cards. Down 39-25 in the 3rd quarter . Gehring sank a 6 foot fade-away followed 30 seconds later by Steven Horsley drive through the key.

While Winlock was deliberate, Castle Rock frequently pushed the ball in transition, having only limited success.

It was Winlock that kept applying the pressure with run, after run. The most crushing was a 10-0 run in the 4th quarter that took the score to 63-38.

“You could tell that we wanted it”, said Viggers. “We packed a pair of scissors with us”

During the 1st quarter, Winlock scored 8 of its points when Hertz found Brown roaming the baseline without proper homage. In fact, much can be said about the play of Jake Brown; As a rebounder, a prolific scorer and a defender. It was the team that made Brown this evening.

“It was our best game as a team,” he said when asked if this was his best game of the year.

Perhaps no moment marked the night better than when Hertz found Brown with a perfectly executed ally-oop dunk that grabbed the loudest cheer and extended murmur. This wasn’t a lower echelon team that the boys could play with before the coach replaced them with subs. This was a rival and a good one at that. A team that blew them out in this same game a year ago, 52-32. This wasn’t about revenge. This was about momentum. Something to pack-up for a trip to Yakima.

Both teams now head to the WIAA State Tournament, but only one has a pair of nets and the District IV trophy.

Retiring Winlock Coach Gary Vigger's Sr. makes use of the scissors he brought to W.F. West on Friday night.

Cardinals 65 Rockets 42

CASTLE ROCK 42-Mike Murry 3, Chris Tinney 4, Zack Gehring 10, Steven Horsley 7, Kyle King 0, Travis Johnson 0, Brad Williamson 0, Kyle Karnofski 8, Dustin Hamilton 6, Cameron Erdlebrock 0, Sam Reebs 0

WINLOCK 65-Tyler Hertz 5, Collin Kuppers 0, Tyler Diamond 2, Mike Kent 4, Angel Sanchez 0, Jordan Davis 11, Nathan Booth 19, Nick Hoven 0, Tyler McCarthy 0, Jake Brown 24, Matt Hoven 0, Bryson Coleman 0

Castle Rock 12 10 13 7-42
Winlock 19 16 14 16-65

Winlock Passes the Kalama Test

It was test time for the Kalama Chinooks at the Southwest Washington 1A District Tournament at Castle Rock on Wednesday night. Could they apply what they learned in two previous meetings with powerful Winlock and play the role of spoiler?

Winlock was the winner of 61-30 and 59-45 contests in the home and home, pre-season series. Geography has a funny way of catching up to teams that think they have seen the last of each other.

This time, Kalama almost found the secret but fell just short as the Cardinals held on to a 31-28 first round victory.

The question is how do you prepare for a team that runs 6’5, 6’6” and 6’9” when your two giants are 6’4”?

Viggers didn’t notice anything different in Kalama from the two previous meetings back in December. “We watched film and didn’t notice any changes”, he noted before the game. Viggers was wrong and Kalama Coach Jody Stemkoski was playing coy.

Stemkoski had similar sentiments. “We already played them twice, we didn’t practice anything different”.

Kalama Guard Brandon Walker let out the secret after the game. “We wanted to control the tempo. Don’t let them have the ball," he shared. “They can’t score if they don’t have the ball. We needed to slow the game down and box out. Back in December, we were running all over the place.”

Kalama clearly struggled early with Winlock’s long arms and tall frames as they employed a 1-3-1 defense that resulted in several traps and turnovers as the Cardinals took an early 5-2 lead. The Chinooks however, found the three ball mid-way through the 1st . Brandon Walker hit two while Brandon Chiodo sank one early to score 9 of the Chinooks 11 1st quarter points.

After the flurry of threes by Kalama, Winlock employed quick 5’7” guard Nick Hoven to pressure the Chinook ball handlers and shooters in the front court. Kalama’s last three occurred just 1:23 into the second

“We had to do something,” contributed Viggers after the game. The strategy with Hoven was a success.

In the 3rd quarter, Brandon Walker continued dumping threes as he hit two more but 6’2” Winlock point guard Tyler Hertz found away to bite into the Chinook zone. With his play down low, Hertz maneuvered for a 6 points and forced a foul on Pollock. He finished the night with 10 points.

The 4th quarter featured more defense, a couple of turnover and missed shots before Pollock broke into the Cardinal zone and was fouled by the Cardinal’s Jordan Davis and earned an old fashioned three point play to tie the game at 28.

That was the last of the Kalama scoring.

“We rebounded fairly well and did a pretty good job of not giving them too many second opportunities, observed the Kalama Coach. “I told the kids if they hung in in the end and make the plays they needed to w would get the opportunity to make the play. We just happened to have a turnover.

“We had opportunities to win and we just have to regroup from here, added Stemkowski.

Winlock will now face a quick Stevenson team in the second round while Kalama will play Rainier in a loser-out game.

Cardinals 31, Chinooks 28
KALAMA ( 28) — Brandon Walker 12, Robby Sanders 4, Ryan Chiodo 3, Jordan Wall Matt Pollock 4, Brandon Osterlund, Logan Kallwick, William Colberg, Logan Nelson 5, Jacob Neiman, Jonathon Pittard, Austin Hauser
WINLOCK ( 31) — Nathan Booth 5, Jake Brown 13, Jordan Davi 3, Tyler Diamond Tyler Hertz 10, Mike Kent , Tyler McCarthy Angel Sanchez, Nick Hoven , Collin Kuppers, Bryson Coleman, Nick Hoven, Phillip Smerek,
Kalama 11 7 6 4— 31
Winlock 10 6 10 5—28

Winlock Hands Onalaska a 2nd Defeat

Sometimes, a seemingly insurmountable lead can evaporate in just minutes. On Saturday night a ten point lead by the Winlock Cardinal nearly disappeared in the 4th quarter of an SWWA 1A, Evergreen Conference marquee match with Onalaska. The Cardinals scored three points in the 4th quarter but it was enough to stay unbeaten in league play as Winlock defeated the Loggers 39-37.

Winlock’s Tyler Hertz (left) and Jordan Davis (#20) stops Onalaska’s Dalton Richey under the basket. Richey led all scorers in Saturday’s game with 16 points.

Onalaska came out fast and took an 11-10 lead after the 1st quarter, but the Cardinals came back and out scored Ony 15 to 4 in the second stanza. With 7 points from Jordan Davis and contributions, usually 2nd chance rebounds from Tyler Diamond, Jake Brown and Nathan Booth.

The third was played to an 11-11 push. But Dalton Richey began to assert himself as a slashing scorer as he earned 7 of his 16 points during a five minute portion of the 3rd. Winlock took a 36-26 lead into the final period.

Onalaska’s Jeff Swett tries to back down Winlock’s Nathan Booth in the 3rd quarter of their game on Saturday night.

Onalaska took advantage of a Winlock scoring drought with Jeff Swett grabbing a rebound and putting it back up and in. Richey went to work scoring off of an inbounds play narrowing the lead to 36-30. Winlock then turned the ball over in the backcourt and then Richey was fouled slashing to the bucket. He dropped both free throws and then Winlock proceeded to turn the ball over twice more leading to another Richey bucket and then a visit to the foul line by Eddie Miles. In all the Logger executed an 10-0 run from 52.9 seconds in the 3rd until 1:21 left in the 4th.

Miles however, contributed to the Loggers ten missed free throws at a key moment. In all, Onalaska went 11-21 from the free throw line. Winlock shot only eight times from the charity stripe, converting six on the evening.

Winlock is most dangerous on the offensive boards and Jake Brown proved that on a put-back with 1;21 left in the 4th.

Mike Kent (left) of Winlock “denies” Onalaska’s Brady Stanley the ball. Stanley is a prolific scorer but Winlock’s defense often prevented him from getting the ball.

19 seconds later, Brady Stanley got lose for his only shot of the game and was fouled by Cardinal Senior Tyler McCarthy. Stanley sunk the free throw leading the Loggers to within one at 38-37.

With 40.9 seconds, Winlock’s Nathan Booth was fouled and went to the free throw and hit the front end of a one and one to make the final score of the game at 39-37.

Onalaska had the final opportunity to tie or win as Jeff Swett had the ball under the bucket but was surrounded by Cardinals. The ball found its way to Richey, whose 20 foot plus shot flew only 16 feet just before the game ending buzzer.

“We knew they would come back on us,” said Winlock Head Coach Gary Viggers Sr. “We just had to be ready” said one of the calmest guys in the gym after the game.

Dalton Richey led all scorers with 16 points while Jordan Brown led the Cardinals with 14 points. Jake Brown had 12 rebounds in addition to his 9 points.

Winlock is now 12-0 in the Evergreen Conference while Onalaska falls to 12-2. Onalaska plays Rochester and Toledo as well as a non-conference game against Willapa Valley this week. Winlock will visit Rainier on Tuesday and host Montesano next Friday.

_______________________________________________________________________________

ONALASKA-Dalton Richey 16, Jeff Swett 10, Eddie Miles 5, Cody Naillon 3, Brady Stanley 3, Eric Messal 0, Zach Barnes 0, Kolby Steele 0

WINLOCK-Jordan Davis 14, Nathan Booth 11, Jake Brown 9, Tyler Hertz 3, Tyler Diamond 2, Mike Kent 0, Tyler McCarthy 0


ONALASKA-11 4 11 11-37
WINLOCK 10 15 11 3-39