Athletics

The Raider Women took to the road Wednesday night to take on division leading Clark.  The undefeated Penguins (12-0 in the West, and 19-2) have been rolling through the West with relative — until Wednesday night.  The Raiders put the first blemish on Clark’s perfect season, pulling out a huge 71-61 victory.  Sophomore forward Taylor Riley led the way for Pierce with 18 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Unique Taaufa’asau with 17 points and 7 rebounds.  The win improves the Raiders league record to 10-4, strengthens their hold on 3rd Place in the West, and secures the team’s first trip to the NWAACC Tournament since 1993!  With 2 games to play, the team has the opportunity to tie the program record for most league wins in a season (12).

The Raiders host Green River this Saturday, 2/18 – tip off at 5 p.m.  This will be the team’s final home game of the season and will be Sophomore Night.  The Raiders close out the regular season on February 25, when they travel to Lower Columbia.

The Raider Women’s Basketball team is on the verge of achieving something no Raider team has been able to do since 1995 — qualify for the NWAACC Championship Tournament!  Following the longest playoff dry-spell in the history of the program,, the 2011-12 squad is currently tied for 3rd place in the West (with Highline CC), and hold a 1 1/2 game lead over crosstown rival Tacoma. 

Tonight’s game between the Raiders and Thunderbirds, both sitting at 7-4, will break the logjam for 3rd place, and give the winner the upper hand on the road to the NWAACC tournament in the Tri-Cities.  The Raiders looks to avenge their early season loss to Highline (59-55), in tonight’s home contest at the HEC.

In his third season at the helm of theRaiders program, Head Coach Brian Purugganan has been blessed with a sophomore laden squad that is athletically talented, and has now developed into a tenacious full-court pressing defensive juggernaut.  Freshman point guard Kawehi Hagi leads the offense, averaging 16 points and 3 assists per game.  Sophomore forward Unique Taaufa’asau, a First Team All-Star last season, averages 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, with follow sophomore Taylor Riley chipping in 13.5 points and a team-leading 8.7 rebounds per game.  Hagi and Taaufa’asau rank in the top 20 in the NWAACC in scoring, and Riley and Taaufa’asau are in the top 20 in rebounding.  Sophomore transfer Natasha Trinidad (Yakima Valley) leads the NWAACC in steals, with 96 on the season, and Hagi is third with 74.

Kawehi Hagi’s (FR. Kapolei, HI) game high 25-points help lead the Raiders past Tacoma claiming the 73-59 victory. The Raiders improved to 2-0 in Western Region play and 8-4 overall while Tacoma fell to 0-1 and 3-7 respectively.

Hagi seemed to struggle from the floor shooting 5-for-19 but she was able to get to the basket at will although having difficulty finishing
at the rim. In a zone at the free-throw line Hagi made 14 of her 15 attempted free throws to go along with her eight rebounds, four assist and two steals.  Hagi scored 16 of her 25 points in a scoring flurry during the opening minutes of the half.

The Raiders had their fab- four in double digit scoring yet again this season and Taylor Riley (SO. Kent, WA) notched another double-double.  Riley had 15-points on 6-for-12 shooting and grabbed 11 boards.  Unique Taufa’asau inked her second double-double of the season snatching 12 rebounds and shipping in 13-points.  Hayley Hancock (SO. Eatonville, WA) continues to play string music with the nets draining 3-of-8 three pointers for 13-points and has made a Western Region league best 30 threes on the season.

Going into halftime the score was tied at 30-30. This game seemed as if it was going to come down to the wire but the Raiders as usual ignited a fierce comeback scoring on nine of their first 10 possessions of the half and never looked back. The Raiders forced 30 Titan turnovers scoring 39-points off those miscues.

“We came into the game not focused and too relaxed allowing Tacoma to stay in the game. It was a very close game to start but shouldn’t have been. We didn’t execute our plays very well and went away from our game plan. We picked up our tempo in the second half and played our game” said Hagi.

The Lady Raiders traveled to Grays Harbor College to take on the Chokers in the first league game of the season.  A year ago this story would have been different! Suffering through a sluggish start last season the Raiders lost to the Chokers which proved to be detrimental to the success of the team who narrowly missed play offs by one game. So, one might say the Lady Raiders had a score to settle having handed the Chokers their only victory that entire season besides two forfeited wins! The Raiders played with a vengeance and were determined to not be put in the same position this season and seem to be in complete control of their own destiny!

 The Raiders got off to a slow start shooting a bleak 21% from the field and 13% from beyond the arc and history was deemed to repeat itself.  Pierce went into half time with an unconvincing four-point lead.  But, the Raiders came out of the gates running in the second half cruising to their first league win claiming a 30 point victory over the Chokers. Ignited by a stifling defense and fueled by a solid offensive effort the Raiders outscored the Chokers by 26 points in the 2nd half.  The Raiders improved to 7-4 and 1-0 in Western Region play while the Chokers fell to 3-7 and 0-1 respectively.

 The Raiders had three players in double digits. Leading the way was sophomore, Taylor Riley (Kent, WA) leading all scorers with 28-points while shooting an impressive 52% from the field and snatching 11 rebounds icing her 7th double-double of the season! After being named Decembers Athlete of the Month, Riley continues to showcase her talent as an elite player. Hayley Hancock (SO, Eatonville, WA), proved her ability to put up numbers as well shooting 6-of-14 from the field knocking down 4 three-pointers tallying 17 points on the night.  Also in double digits was Unique Taufa’asau (SO, Federal Way, WA).  Taufa’asau had 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

In an all-Southern Region finale, the Clackamas Cougars and Lane Titans met for the 2nd straight year in the championship game of the 4th Annual Raiders Holiday Invitational Tournament, and for the fans in attendance, the two teams put on quite a show.  Lane, the 2-time defending tournament champs, couldn’t hold an 8 point mid-second half lead, losing the lead for good with just under 2 minutes to play.  The Cougars, behind a 26 point performance by tournament MVP Jenny Johnson, held off a frantic Titan rush at the end, to capture their first Holiday Invitational title trophy.  Johnson’s 20 point second half performance, was supported by four other Cougars scoring in double figures for the game, including All-Tournament Team selection Sam McCloud who had 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 steals.  The Titans were led by Danielle Schmidt’s 17 points, and All-Tournament Team selection Courtney Walchli’s 10 points and 7 rebounds.  This is the second consecutive year the Cougars and Titans played for the tournament championship, with the Titans eeking out a 54-52 win in 2010.

The third place game pitted two Northern Region teams going head to head, with the Peninsula Pirates building and 12 point lead at halftime, and holding on for a 65-57 win over Skagit Valley.  Raquel Young led the Pirates with 18 points and 7 boards, with All Tournament Team selection Jesse Ellis tossing in 11 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.  The Cardinals were led by Brittany Gray’s 15 points and 12 rebounds, while All-Tournament Team pick Jessica Denmon had 14 points, 8 rebounds and 7 steals.   

In the day’s opening game, the Wenatchee Valley Knights used a great first half to coast to an easy win over the Tacoma Titans, 58-40, to capture 4th place.  Allyssa Dario led the Knights with 13 points, and All-Tournament selection Shelby Posey chipped in 7 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.  Claire Swayze led the Titans with 13 points.

All-Tournament Team:  Jessica Denmon (Skagit Valley), Jesse Ellis (Peninsula), Sam McCloud (Clackamas), Shelby Posey (Wenatchee Valley), and Courtney Walchli (Lane).  Jenny Johnson from Clackamas was chosen as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Day 2 of the 4th Annual Holiday Invitational Tournament saw some great action, with 3 games finishing with margins of 5 points or less.  In the first game of the consolation/loser-out bracket, the Tacoma Titans overcame a six point half time deficit and coasted to a 70-53 win over the Olympic Rangers.  The Titans were led by Claire Swayze’s tournament high 29 points.

In the second game, the host Raiders fought back from a nine point halftime deficit to make a great game of it to the finish, but couldn’t quite close the deal, as they dropped a 57-53 decision to the Wenatchee Valley Knights.  The Raiders were led by Taylor Riley who tallied 16 points followed by Unique Taufa’asau with 11.  The Knights had a balanced attack with 3 players dropping 14 points apiece; Alyssa Dario, Kassy Larson, and Shelby Posey. 

In the championship side of the bracket, the Clackamas Cougars held off a second half charge by the Skagit Valley Cardinals and held for a 72-67 victory.   Sam McClound had a standout game, leading the Cougars with 27 points, 7 assists, and 8 steals, supported by  MaKesha Bizon with 15.   Sophia Baetz led the Cardinals with 19 points.

The nightcap game was a barn-burner as the Lane Titans held off a feisty Peninsula Pirate squad to capture the win and qualify to play in the championship game for the third straight year, 50-47.  Lane’s Courtney Walchli led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds, with Reed Levings chipping in with 10 points and 9 boards.   The Pirates were led by Jasmine Yarde with 13 points.

The final day of the tournament features the following match-ups:  11 a.m.. – Tacoma vs Wenatchee Valley (for 4th place), 1 p.m. – Skagit Valley vs Peninsula (for 3rd place), and the all-Southern Region 3 p.m. championship game featuring Clackamas vs Lane.

The opening day of the 4th Annual Raiders Holiday Invitational Tournament saw 3 of the favored teams post decisive wins, with the final game of the day played close to the very end.  In the tournament opener the #2 ranked Clackamas Cougars had an easy time with the Tacoma Titans, coasting to a 86-54 win.  Six Cougars scored in double figures for Coach Kayla Steen’s defending Southern Division Champs, led by MaKesha Bizon with 17 points.  Sam McCloud posted a triple-double for the Cougs, tossing in 13 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 12 assists.  Claire Swayze led the Titans with 18 points.

In game 2, Sophia Baetz tallied 23 points in leading the Skagit Valley Cardinals to a 67-44 victory over the Olympic Rangers.  Teammate Brittany Gray pulled down a game high 14 rebounds for the Cards.  Olympic’s Danielle Stewart scored 14 points and grabbed 14 boards on the day.

The #6 ranked Lane Titans cruised to a 89-68 win over the Wenatchee Valley Knights.  Courtney Walchli led four Titans in double figures, scoring 17 points and pulling down a team high 7 rebounds.  Shelby Posey led the Knights with 16 points and 8 boards.

In the day’s finale, the host Pierce Raiders lost a tough one to the Peninsula Pirates, 67-56.  The Pirates Taylor Larson led the way with 18 points, on 9 of 11 shooting from the field, with Jesse Ellis adding 15 points and 10 rebounds.  The Raiders were led by Kawehi Hagi’s 18 points (going 10 of 12 from the charity stripe), followed by Unique Taufa’asau’s 14 points and 7 boards.  Taylor Riley posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Day 2 match-ups are as follows:  1:00 p.m. – Tacoma vs Olympic, 3:00 p.m. – Wenatchee Valley vs Pierce, 5:00 p.m. – Clackamas vs Skagit Valley, and at 7:00 p.m. – Lane vs Peninsula.