Paced by another strong performance from senior guard Payton Torrey, the 1B No. 3 Mossyrock girls basketball team defeated Pe Ell in a 1B Columbia Valley League matchup Thursday night in west Lewis County, 60-18.
Torrey scored a game-high 27 points to go along with another game-high 12 rebounds, helping the Vikings to a 20-2 start after one quarter.
“We got a quick lead from the start,” Vikings coach Autumn Moorcroft said. “Defensively we had some stops and ran the lanes well. We really do well when we can push the ball.”
Moorcroft also commended Hailey Brooks for boxing out opponents well, totaling just six boards but helping her teammates grab long misses. Brooks also scored eight points.
On the other end, the Trojans got a look at one of the teams that will compete for a trophy at the state tournament in Spokane this year. Charlie Carper led the way with a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double, but Pe Ell had a hard time scoring once again against one of the state’s premier teams.
“Payton Torrey showed tonight why she is the league’s MVP,” Pe Ell coach Dave Tuengel said. “They have everything they need to win the state 1B title, I have no doubt they will be in the mix in Spokane. Our program’s goal is to become one of those teams like Mossy that can compete for state championships.”
The Vikings will punch up a classification against 2A No. 4 Adna Friday on the road, while the Trojans look to bounce back against Naselle on Monday.
