The Rainier boys basketball team began its postseason run with a solid performance in Montesano on Saturday, topping North Beach 60-37 in the first round of the 2B District 4 Tournament.
The Mountaineers came out fast, outscoring the Hyaks 33-14 in the first half. They slowed down in the second half, but they were still able to maintain a similar margin for a comfortable victory.
Peyton Sheaffer led the Mountaineers with 23 points, while Ryder Martin added nine and Jacob Hanson scored seven. Jordan Pringle pitched in seven, Ty Beckman tallied five, and both Nehemiah Linson and Esten Walker added two.
“It’s nice to get a W this time of year,” Rainier coach Ben Sheaffer said. “We didn’t get any style points, but we did play hard and showed a level of physicality that is required during playoff basketball.”
With the win, Rainier (11-10) advances to the district quarterfinals, where it will face Adna on Wednesday in Centralia. A win would put the Mountaineers one win away from going back to state, while a loss would require three straight victories to reach the state tournament.
