The Port Townsend Redhawk girls, rated 16th among the 66 teams from schools of its size in Washington state, were denied a ticket to Yakima’s SunDome for the 12-team state tournament, which starts this weekend.

The Redhawks fell to Nooksack Valley, ranked ninth, in a 52-26 game on Friday, Feb. 23.

The Redhawks played with the Pioneers for the first half, even holding a slight lead early in the second quarter.

But the physical play of the Pioneers wore Port Townsend down on the offensive end of the court, and the team scored only 10 points in the second half against Nooksack’s 29 points.

“I’m very proud of the girls for their entire season, in which they reached to the top 16 despite being ranked all year in the bottom third of 1A teams,” said coach Scott Wilson. “The last time a Port Townsend team was in the top 16 was 2004.”

On Friday, Wilson said, the game plan he devised unraveled as the minutes went by, thanks to Nooksack’s fierce defensive play. “I was told they were physically dominating on defense, and they sure were. We have a very hard time scoring against them.”

Despite that, the Redhawks never quit and fought to the end, he said, a trait that the Nooksack coach, Shane Wicher, praised when meeting with Wilson after the game.

Senior Kaitlyn Meek scored the Redhawks’ first 6 points, but was stifled for most of the rest of the game with double teams, finishing with 10.

Junior Jaz Apker-Montoya got free for a couple of treys in the second period, but she also had girls running at her all night. She finished with 11.

Sophomore post Izzy Hammett hit for 5, and that was all of the Redhawk scoring.

Nooksack’s senior post, Katrina Gimmaka, muscled her way to 18 points despite being the focus of the Redhawk defense.

“Cece Nielsen did lockdown defense on Katrina in the first quarter and we held her to 4 points,” said Wilson. “I changed the defense in the second period, and she got away from us. That was my mistake.”

Still, the Redhawks came away from the season with first place in the Olympic League, second place in the WCD III district playoffs and a top 16 ranking.

A win against Nooksack would have taken them to the state tourney.

Meek, Nielsen and Jordyn King played their last game as Redhawks.

Senior Taylor Tracer was out the game due to injuries, and senior exchange student Vilma Juurmu was traveling.