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Postseason triumphs elude Dawgs, Lady Viks

Vale’s Matyson Siddoway battles Nyssa’s Britain Hartley for a rebound during a game earlier this season. Vale dropped two games at the state tournament to end its state title run last week. (The Enterprise/File)

COOS BAY – Local 3A prep basketball teams played hard in the state tournament last weekend, but fell to foes from across the state.

The Nyssa boys basketball team’s hopes for a trophy in its trip to the Class 3A state basketball tournament ended Friday morning when the Bulldogs fell to Sutherlin 34-30 in the consolation semifinals.

Nyssa led 15-10 at halftime, but the Bulldog lead was cut early in the second half by Sutherlin’s offensive attack and hot shooting. Sutherlin players made 63 percent of their shots in the second half, while Nyssa made only 21 percent.

Omar Jaquez shot a game-high 11 points for the Bulldogs, and Pedro Chavez scored 6.

Nyssa’s shooting troubles began Thursday, when the Bulldogs lost 52-30 to No. 4 seed Pleasant Hill in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs went 12 of 49, compared to Pleasant Hill, with 20 for 43.

Nyssa’s Agustin Trujillo leaps for a two-point bucket during a playoff game against Rainier earlier this season. (The Enterprise/File).

Agustin Trujillo led the Bulldogs with 11 points, and Wyatt Jensen added 10.

The Bulldogs end their season ranked fifth in Class 3A basketball with an 18-10 overall record and 9-1 in the Eastern Oregon League. They will graduate six players, four who are first-string: Jorge Ortiz, Agustin Trujillo, Wyatt Jensen and Omar Jaquez.

Girls tourney

In the girls division, Vale’s dream of winning the 3A state championship ended in a quarterfinal loss Thursday to No. 3 seed Blanchet Catholic.

Vale opened a tight contest with a narrow 12-10 lead in the first quarter. Both teams kept it close through the second and third quarters. At one point, the Vikings led by six points during the third quarter but the Cavaliers kept up to trail only a point behind at 28-27.

Emersyn Johnson poured in a game high of 11 points, and Gracee Jacobs scored 8.

Beset by turnovers and missed shots, the Vikings fell behind in the fourth to the Cavaliers, 46-35.

Vale went on to play another tight contest against Warrenton in the consolation semifinals on Friday.

The Warriors kept the lead for most of the game, but the Vikings decided to spice things up in the fourth quarter and rallied to one ahead with a 3-pointer by Emersyn Johnson. But Warrenton pulled away again and clinched the 45-40 win with free throws.

Vale ends the season ranked 10th in Class 3A girls basketball with a 15-12 overall record and 7-3 in league.

The Vikings will return most of their bench next season but will lose three players – Gracee Jacobs, Kyla Wright and Lexi Schaffeld – to graduation. Vale’s key players to return include Rachel Wolfe, Matyson Siddoway and Emersyn Johnson, who was named a 3A second team all-star.

Kristine de Leon: [email protected].

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