High School Basketball: No. 1 ranked R.A. Long takes No. 2 Woodland to the woodshed
Carry a Big Stick – Crane nets 33 for Lumberjacks in 77-52 league win over Beavers
Jordan Nailon for Blast Zone Media / blastzonenews@gmail.com
2A Prep Basketball / Report
THE LUMBERDOME — The latest RPI rankings from the WIAA arrived just in time to put some extra sparkle on Wednesday night’s 2A Greater St. Helens tilt between R.A. Long and Woodland at Joe Moses Court.
The Lumberjacks entered the game having reached the No. 1 slot in the poll for the firs time in school history. Meanwhile, the Beavers came to Longview holding the No. 2 ranking in the state and looking to prove they belong at, or near, the top already.
But five 3-pointers from Josh Crane in the first quarter effectively wiped out any shot Woodland had of making waves at The Lumberdome, and by the end the undefeated Jacks were owners of a 77-52 victory.
“I think the guys were ready to step up tonight,” RAL head coach Jeray Key said. “They knew it was a big game, and seeing that No. 2 by (Woodland), they wanted to make a statement, and I think they did.”
And there was even some insult to add to injury along the way.
In the second half the members of a well-traveling Woodland student section continued to bring their best energy. That included waving, and sometimes banging, a seven-foot hiking stick with a toy beaver strapped to the top from the bleachers. But the joy from the visiting spectators was too much for the referees to handle, prompting one official to blow his whistle at the gang of teenagers while calling for the immediate removal of the mojo stick.
Enter R.A. Long athletic director DeWayne McCabe from stage left. The Lumberjacks boss was not foiled by attempts to hide the Beaver stick, and ultimately convinced the good-natured students to hand over their prize possession before promptly exiting the scene with someone else’s tail between his legs.
Metaphorically speaking, of course.
But the metaphors don’t end there. Because if an author needed a clever way to describe the manner in which R.A. Long treated the Beavers on the hardwood, they might simply note that the Lumberjacks clearcut the native habitat to construct their arena of old growth timbers — and then took the Beavers’ final, and favorite, stick for good measure.
“We played bad defense. We didn’t play offense real well and we weren’t able to get into anything,” Woodland head coach Justin Gabbard said. “It’s embarrassing. They were better in every single aspect of the game. Hat tip to them. We’ve got to get better.”
— R.A. Long wing Josh Crane knocks down his sixth 3-pointer of the game after multiple looks at the hoop for the Lumberjacks in a 77-52 win over Woodland. / Video by Ben Hendrickson for Blast Zone Media —
— Content below this line is reserved for paid subscribers. Thank you for helping sustain Blast Zone Media. We depend on your support in order to continue reporting on local athletics. Consider showing your support today. —
