YAKIMA — Even when shots weren’t falling, the Columbia River girls basketball team can rely on its defense. That defense is the reason the Rapids are headed to the quarterfinals of the Class 2A state tournament. Columbia River clamped down when it mattered to beat Port Angeles 38-33 Wednesday at the Yakima Valley SunDome. No. 7 seed Columbia River forced 21 turnovers, holding No. 10 Port Angeles to 27% shooting from the field. That defense was vital on a night when the Rapids shot 12 for 51 (23.5%) from the field. “If we’re not sharp defensively, there’s nothing to fall back on if our offense isn’t there,” senior guard Marley Myers said. “We really make it a point to always bring that intensity on defense.”

Myers made two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, which were the Rapids’ only field goals in the final period. The first snapped a 12-2 Port Angeles run that saw the Roughriders pull within 28-27 after three quarters. The second gave River a 36-32 lead with just under 3:00 to play. When none of her teammates’ shots were falling, Myers stepped up. “This season I haven’t been taking shots like that,” said Myers. “If she wasn’t in my face I was going to shoot it tonight because I knew we needed it.” Myers scored a team-high 11 points while Gracie Glavin added 10 points. Peyton Dukes set the tone for the Rapids defense. She had three blocks and five of Columbia River’s nine steals. None was bigger than her takeaway as Port Angeles, trailing 36-33, tried to set up a potential game-tying shot in the final 23 seconds.

Dukes said defense has been a priority in recent practices. “I really think it’s how we prepared,” she said. “The past two weeks we’ve been taking it to ourselves by pressuring our own offense. We’ve been doing that to prepare for the tough defense we’re going to face here.” Columbia River (21-4) faces top-seeded Lynden (25-0) in the quarterfinals Thursday at 5:30 p.m. In winning Wednesday’s loser-out game, the Rapids are in the quarterfinals for back-to-back years after not reaching that stage since 1992. That’s the last time Columbia River earned a state trophy, placing seventh. “We did not want to go home,” Myers said. “We packed to stay. We’re going to give it our all tomorrow.” COLUMBIA RIVER 38, PORT ANGELES 33 PORT ANGELES (18-7) — Tenna Clark 6, Lindsay Smith 16, Mikkhia Stevens 0, Morgan Politika 0, Cayleigh Alward 0, Sariah Doherty 0, Becca Manson 0, Tatum Moses 0, Kenzie Moses 0, Lexis Smith 11. Totals 10 (1) 12-18 33

COLUMBIA RIVER (21-4) — Olivia Carroll 0, Marley Myers 11, Peyton Dukes 5, Camy Drake 2, Mikayla King 0, Braidee Goodwin 0, Kaya Mirtich 4, Avi Desjarlais 6, Gracie Glavin 10. Totals 12 (6) 8-11 38. Port Angeles    7     7    13    6 — 33 Columbia River    13       11     4      10 — 38