beaverton girls basketball

PORTLAND - Top-ranked Beaverton played a largely game of keep-away from crosstown rival Southridge and moved to the semifinals of the OSAA 6A girls basketball state tournament for the third straight year with a 37-26 win at the Chiles Center.

Senior Laura Erikstrup had 14 points and seven rebounds and Beaverton made 10 of 11 free throws to beat the Skyhawks for the third time this season. The Beavers had a 32-19 edge in rebounds on the way to improving to 22-4. They'll play Liberty of Hillsboro in the semifinals Friday afternoon, looking for only the second trip to a finals in the school's history. The team lost to Oregon City in the 2002 final.

McKelle Meek led Southridge (19-6) with 13 points, including 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Her teammates were just 2 of 8 from the line.

Wednesday outcome reversed last year's meeting in the semifinals between the two teams, which Southridge won 46-30.

BEAVERTON - A year after fully missing the girls basketball state playoffs, the Beaverton Beavers have not only returned, but returned with expectations - those that come with being seeded third and having youth on their side.

Beaverton rolled through a spunky Cleveland effort, 55-36, Tuesday in the first of two playoff rounds that lead to the eight-team Class 6A state tournament next week at the Chiles Center.

Sophomore Sydney Erikstrup led Beaverton with 19 points, while junior Kelsey Fleiger added 14 as the Beavers improved to 21-3 overall with two of those losses coming at the hands of top-ranked and defending state champion Southridge.

"I would love to play Southridge again," Beaverton senior Cierra Speck said afterward. "We've already played them twice so we know how they play ... but I am definintely ready for a third game."

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Speck is the lone senior on a team with a first-year coach in Kathy Adelman Naro, although she is far from being inexperienced having led the Jesuit program for more than a decade.

The playoff round concludes Friday for 6A girls teams. Beaverton will play host to Sherwood, which scored an upset at Forest Grove, 22-20, Tuesday night. On the night, home teams were 12-4 with the biggest upset being St. Mary's beating No. 11 seed McMinnville, 54-52.

CLASS 6A RESULTS, Tuesday                               FRIDAY GAME

SOUTHRIDGE 84, David Douglas 23

CANBY 55, Westview 51                                          Canby at Southridge

CLACKAMAS 62, Lincoln 37

JESUIT 38, South Salem 21                                     Clackamas at Jesuit

NORTH MEDFORD 46, Liberty 40

Central Catholic 52, GRANT 50                                 Central Catholic at North Medford

OREGON CITY 51, McNary 41

WEST LINN 57, West Salem 36                                Oregon City at West Linn

BEAVERTON 55, Cleveland 36

Sherwood 22, FOREST GROVE 20                             Sherwood at Beaverton

St. Mary's 54, MCMINNVILLE 52

SHELDON 58, Tualatin 45                                        St. Mary's at Sheldon

BENSON 83, West Albany 37

SOUTH MEDFORD 68, Roosevelt 39                          South Medford at Benson

Grants Pass 51, GLENCOE 39

TIGARD 59, Sunset 29                                             Grants Pass at Tigard