Valley Catholic defeated Riverside 77-61 in the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 3A boys basketball championship on March 7 at Marshfield High School.
The win marks Valley Catholic’s first state title after two consecutive semifinal losses in previous years. The Valiants, known for their high-scoring offense, managed to pull away from Riverside in the fourth quarter after a closely contested game through the first three periods.
“It’s just crazy,” said Valley Catholic junior Garrett Frank. “It was a dream since my freshman year to win state. Now it’s come true. I’m super happy to get it done.” Senior Cooper Bonnett added, “That experience over the past years — we just came back better.”
Riverside, making its first tournament appearance since 2007 and seeking its first 3A championship, kept pace with Valley Catholic until fatigue set in during the final quarter. “Our legs gave out on us,” said Riverside coach Cole Ashby. “They got tired in the fourth quarter. Valley did a great job. They came out and shot real well in the fourth quarter.” Despite strong performances from Jesus Pena and Cooper Cemore, who finished with 19 points, Riverside could not overcome Valley Catholic’s late surge.
Key plays by Bonnett and clutch shooting from Michael Mehta helped secure the victory for Valley Catholic. Mehta scored 22 points, including four three-pointers, while Frank contributed 21 points and strong defense against Cemore. Coach Bryan Fraser praised his team’s composure under pressure: “We just didn’t panic,” he said. “We stayed true to ourselves. We came out and ran every chance we could.”
Looking ahead, both teams expect to return key players next season as they move up divisions or seek another title run. Cemore of Riverside expressed determination for future success: “I want to come back and get it all.”
