Coquille’s girls advanced in the Class 3A playoffs by beating visiting Horizon Christian 59-44 on Tuesday.
The Red Devils overcame eight 3-pointers and 28 points by Horizon Christian’s Alexis Dockter to advance to a second-round game Friday night at Corbett.
“We played so good, especially in the first half,” said Coquille coach Marty Stallard, adding that he was excited the girls got a playoff win and reached 20 wins for the season.
He was looking forward to the challenge of facing Corbett, which was ranked first in the final coaches poll and reached the championship game in the Class 4A tournament last winter before dropping down a level this year.
“It will be a great experience for these kids,” Stallard said.
Coquille led by 10 in the first half and was never challenged in the second by the Hawks.
Holli Vigue scored 23 points and made nine of her 10 free throws for the Red Devils. As a team, Coquille was 13-for-14 from the line.
The squad also had balanced scoring, with numerous team members hitting shots off good passes from teammates.
Jenna Willis had nine points in the first half and scored 11 for the game. Isabella Trujillo had seven points and Taylor Kelner and Trinidy Blanton scored six each in the win.
Coquille was coming off a good loss to Lakeview in the semifinals of the Far West League playoffs. The Red Devils kept the game close until the final minutes against the Honkers after losing to them by 32 points at home during the league season.
“From where we started, we are doing so well,” Stallard said. “We got to 20 wins.”
Coquille improved to 20-8 on the season.
Coquille’s losses also all came against quality teams who are in the state playoffs, including Lakeview and Sutherlin twice each and Class 2A powers Central Linn, Bandon and Monroe. The other loss came at Brookings-Harbor, which was eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday by Burns, which beat the Bruins 43-35 in Brookings.
Corbett is another great team. The Cardinals are 22-3 and seeded third for the playoffs but first in the coaches poll after beating Banks, another school that dropped down from Class 4A, in their league title game. Several of the team’s players were on the squad that reached the Class 4A championship game last winter, ultimately losing to Philomath.
This year’s tournament field will be determined Friday in eight games around the state. The tournament quarterfinals are next Thursday at North Bend High School, with the semifinals and championship games at Marshfield.
Far West League champion Sutherlin, the No. 2 seed, hosts Jefferson, which won at Creswell 47-44 on Tuesday. Lakeview plays at De La Salle North Catholic in Portland.
TRINITY LUTHERAN 54, MYRTLE POINT 31:
 The Bobcats saw their season end in the opening round of the Class 1A playoffs at Bend on Monday.
Trinity Lutheran advanced to a second-round game Friday at Skyline League champion North Douglas, which beat Triangle Lake 75-29 on Tuesday.
Myrtle Point overcame adversity, including injuries to a couple of key players, to finish second to North Douglas in its first year in the Skyline League.
North Douglas was the only league team to win its first-round game. Umpqua Valley Christian lost at Eddyville 64-56 and New Hope lost at Echo 61-30.
The winners of Friday’s second-round games advance to the state tournament at Baker City.
CLASS 2A: Bandon hosts Regis on Friday in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs, with the winner advancing to the state tournament in Pendleton.
The Tigers were fifth and Regis ninth in the final Class 2A coaches poll.
Friday’s game begins at 6 p.m.
BOYS: Bandon visits top-ranked Mannahouse Christian at 4 p.m. Saturday in Portland in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs, the winner advancing to the tournament in Pendleton.
Coquille was at Harrisburg in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs Wednesday (results were not available), with the winner advancing to face De La Salle North Catholic in Portland in the second round Saturday.
Myrtle Point was at Willamette Valley Christian on Wednesday in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs (results were not available). The winner faces the winner of a game between Triangle Lake and No. 4 Adrian on Saturday for a spot in the tournament at Baker City.
