Comets girls' loss throws league standings into a pickle

Courtesy of The Chinook Observer
By PHIL RAISTAKKAObserver corespondent
LACEY - The Naselle Comets girls lost the game that they needed to win in order to have a chance to finish among the top two or three teams in the Pacific League girls' basketball final standings. If the Comets could have defeated the Northwest Christian Navigators, they would have had a chance for a third place finish and possibly a tie for second place in the league race. The Comets couldn't do it, as they lost 47-37 to the Navigators in their next-to-the-last league game of the season, played in the Navigators' gym Tuesday, Feb. 6.The Comets were on a winning streak, winning five of their previous six games and sitting in a position where wins in their last two games could have possibly put them into a three-way tie for second. The first time that the Comets played the Navigators this season, the Comets earned an easy 49-35 win. That wasn't true this time around as the streaking Navigators forged a 24 point turn-around and won their second game in a row, after beating Tacoma Baptist a day earlier. The Comets league record dropped to 8-5 and 11-8 overall. The Navigators improved to 6-8 in league and 11-8 overall.The loss meant that the Comets final re-scheduled game at Tacoma Baptist, on Feb. 9, took on even greater importance. A loss at TB would put the two teams into a tie for fourth place and necessitate a playoff game between Naselle and Tacoma Baptist. If the Comets can finish in fourth place, where they are after the Northwest Christian loss, they will host a home game in their first tournament game If they finish in fifth place, the Comets will be forced to travel for their first tournament game.Either way, the Comets will play their first tournament game in the double elimination district tournament format on Tuesday, Feb. 13. If they win their first game, their second tournament game will be Friday, Feb 16. If they lose their first game, they will play on Monday, Feb. 19. The locations of all these potential games depends upon where the Comets finish in the league race.The Comets were able to hold their own through the first half against Northwest Christian. They trailed 8-6 at the first quarter break, but Naselle was able to out-point the Navigators 12-9 in the second period to hold a slim 20-17 lead at the intermission. However, the second half was all Northwest as Kathleen Post (21 game points) and Elianna Isoz (14 game points) got the hot hand. The Navigators doubled the third quarter score on the Comets 14-7 and they then sealed the deal with a 16-12 fourth period to win going away.The Comets had two leading scorers with Brandi Keightley scoring 11 and Erin Saari nine. Colette Beaulaurier and Ashley Ahlstrom, each with five points, provided backup scoring in the Comets loss.The Comets first tournament game could be at one of five places. If they finish fourth, they will play the Central League's fifth place team at Naselle. If the Comets girls finish fifth, they will be playing the Central fourth place team either at Toutle Lake, Morton, Cathlamet, or possibly even Adna. The games won and lost on the last round of games in the Central League will determine that. All of the first round tournament games will be played on Tuesday, Feb. 13

Naselle 6 12 7 12 - 37
NWC 8 9 14 16 - 47

Naselle (37) - Brandi Keightley 11, Erin Saari 9, Beaulaurier 5, Ahlstrom 5, Steppe 3, Rodriguez 2, Klinger 2, Landis, Green, Fletcher, Laney;

FG - 11-34;
FT - 13-24.

Northwest Christian (47) - Kathleen Post 21, Elianna Isoz 14, Bodine 4, Edwards 4. Collins 2, Wagner 2, Crosley, Mailhot, McClanahan, Minton, Webb, Barr;

FG - 16-56;
FT - 13-27.

JV game: Northwest Christian 31, Naselle 26.