By its Merriam-Webster definition, the word “dominant” entails something that is commanding, controlling or prevailing over all others.
None of those words can aptly describe the Rainier High School boys basketball team’s first half against Mossyrock Friday, Dec. 6. The Mountaineers welcomed the Vikings back to the Central 2B League with a 44-1 halftime advantage en route to a 64-14 victory in the league opener.
By the time the Vikings converted their first field goal, the Mountaineers had 48 points on the scoreboard and nearly 20 minutes of game time had fizzled away.
Rainier’s 16 steals and 26 forced turnovers throughout the game led to a bevy of transition buckets, and Mossyrock’s youth was no match for the home team’s veteran energy and chemistry.
“I was just really proud of our defensive energy and the way that we shared the ball. We’re trusting one another, and that’s been a goal of ours. I’m happy with the way that we played,” Rainier head coach Ben Sheaffer said.
Rainier opened up the blowout affair with a pair of 3-pointers by James Meldrum and Peyton Sheaffer. Mossyrock head coach Tom Kelly called a timeout 90 seconds into the contest, but the quick chat with his team didn’t stop the bleeding one bit.
The Mountaineers poured it on in the first quarter, consistently turning Mossyrock turnovers into transition buckets highlighted by a two-handed dunk by Peyton Sheaffer that ignited the student section.
Mossyrock took its second timeout with just under two minutes left in the first quarter and the Vikings down 19-0. Their first point came with 16.4 seconds left in the first by a Shaun Fry free throw, and Rainier led 21-1 through one thanks to seven points from Sheaffer and 10 Vikes turnovers.
The Vikings did not score again in the first half. Meanwhile, Rainier sent the gas pedal through the undercarriage with another barrage of fastbreak layups and efficient passes. Seven Mountaineers scored in the first half, and each of them individually outscored Mossyrock as a team in the first half.
“I told them just to keep fighting. These things happen, and that’s a very good team,” Kelly said of his halftime message to his young team. “We’ve got to get better, whether it’s in practice or even here. They were just really physical and tough. You have to try to stay positive, even right now.”
Even with a 43-point halftime lead, Ben Sheaffer kept his starters on the floor to start the second half. But the scoreboard was not a factor in that decision.
“We just have to continue to prepare with a championship mindset. We want to be relevant. We want to play in big games, and we can’t afford to coast, and so we’re not gonna watch the scoreboard,” he said. “We’re just going to try to dominate each possession and get better.”
Rainier continued its 23-0 run into the third quarter thanks to jumpers by Jake and Josh Meldrum. Vikings eighth grade guard Colby Cournyer finally took the lid off the basket for Mossyrock, knocking down a triple with 4:37 left in the third. Sheaffer eventually let his second unit seal the deal, 64-14.
“We’re not where we want to be. We have room to grow in terms of communicating on defense. We fouled a lot more than we want to, but we’re playing good defense,” Sheaffer said. “Our effort was definitely there, and we feel good about that.”
Peyton Sheaffer led all scorers with 16 points and added three steals, while Josh Meldrum and Nehemiah Linson each tallied 10. Hunter Howell had a productive night with six points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Kelly was impressed with the veteran Mountaineers, a team that he sees contending for the league title. As for his shorthanded Vikings, playing without starter Easton Kolb, Kelly hopes they can quickly erase this game from their memory and improve.
“They’re a good team. They’re a physical team, they can shoot, and they can jump. They’ve got everything,” he said of Rainier. “This Rainier team is one you can’t count out. We’ve got to have some broad shoulders and take it like a man. I’ve been on both sides of games like this. I’ve taken some beatings and given some out too."
The Mountaineers (2-0, 1-0 C2BL) will travel to 1A Montesano on Monday, Dec. 9 at 6:45 p.m. for a non-league contest before returning home to face C2BL foe Toutle Lake at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. Mossyrock (1-1, 1-1 C2BL) heads home to face Morton-White Pass on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7:15 p.m.
