Ilwaco is 9-1 against Willapa Valley since January of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Ilwaco Fishermen will head out on the road to square off against the Willapa Valley Vikings at 7:15 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
On Wednesday, things could have been worse for Ilwaco, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 66-49 loss to Forks. Ilwaco has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, Willapa Valley came up short against Pe Ell on Tuesday and fell 48-39.
Despite their defeat, Willapa Valley saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Tylar Keeton, who scored 11 points along with nine rebounds and four steals, was perhaps the best of all. Keeton is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games she's played. Rilyn Channell was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with nine rebounds.
Ilwaco's defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 7-6. As for Willapa Valley, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost six of their last eight matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-7 record this season.
Everything went Ilwaco's way against Willapa Valley in their previous matchup back in December of 2022 as Ilwaco made off with a 65-41 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Ilwaco since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
