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Crater rolls over Forest Grove By Greg Stiles PORTLAND � The Crater Comets looked like a team that hadn�t played a game in 15 days. Fortunately, the fired up Forest Grove Vikings weren�t much of a match as the Comets cranked out a 65-39 victory in the final first-round game of the Class 4A state girls basketball tournament Wednesday night at the Chiles Center. "You could tell we hadn�t played in 15 days, but we got through it," Crater coach David Heard said after his top-seeded team advanced to tonight�s quarterfinal matchup against Barlow. "I think we�ll be a little more focused and we�ll know more about our opponent." Barlow produced the tournament�s lone first-round upset, smashing Crescent Valley, 59-28, in game pitting the No. 8 and No. 9 teams. Forest Grove (14-11), the Pacific-9 champion, meets Crescent Valley at 10:30 a.m. today in consolation play. The Comets were the first and only Southern Oregon Conference team to get an opening-round win, although Ashland and South Medford played Metro League opponents Beaverton and Jesuit tough. "It was really good to be playing some different competition instead of just against ourselves," said Crater center Jody McLeod, who snared seven of her team�s 17 offensive rebounds. The Comets trailed 7-6 before scoring the next 11 points � five by McLeod � on the first leg of a 24-4 run. Crater led 35-16 at the half and continued pulling away in the third quarter. Sarah Pool had 14 of her game-high 21 points in the first half and finished with seven assists and six steals in 28 minutes. "We had to get the team back into the flow," Pool said. "We needed to prepare ourselves for the next game." Amy Denson added 16 points and eight rebounds, while McLeod had 14 points and nine rebounds. "Being seeded No. 1 we know we are going to be under some pressure," McLeod said. "We�re going to have to stay focused and do a good job." Heard saw the rough edges and realizes the Comets won�t necessarily be able to race up and down the floor against future opponents. "I don�t know where it comes from that people think this team is another Oregon City," Heard said. "I don�t know if it�s from reading things or seeing things, but we�re not that kind of team. We just can�t go up 30 or 40 points. We have to control the tempo and take advantage of our size." Tess Bair, who buried three straight 3s in the third period, led the Vikings with 17 points and three steals. But the Vikings were hurt by 27 turnovers with all 12 players in the contest guilty of at least one miscue. FOREST GROVE (39) � Perry 1, Reinecker 2, Bair 17, K. Knowlton 4, A. Knowlton 5, Sanders 2, Hayes 3, Hawkins 0, Harsin 0, Boyles 0, Vaandering 3, Bush 2. Totals: 13-37 8-11 35. CRATER (65) � Pool 21, Sapienza 3, McLeod 14, Denson 16, Johnson 2, Black 4, Kinney 0, Anhorn 0, Lebel 2, Huntley 0, Robertson 2, Nafie 1. Totals: 22-53 16-28 65. Forest Grove............................................11 5 10 13 � 39 Crater......................................................21 14 19 11 � 65 3-point goals � Forest Grove 5 (Bair 3, Hayes 1, Vaandering 1), Crater 5 (Pool 3, Denson 2). Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4483, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.