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Chieftains subdue Seaside By CLIFF PFENNING CORVALLIS -- Those early-morning practices last week paid off for the Rogue River girls basketball team Wednesday at Gill Coliseum. Rogue River played just six players, but the battle-hardened Chieftains still outlasted No. 9 Seaside, 40-34, in the Class 3A state tournament, advancing to the quarterfinals for the second straight year. Senior Mindi Yost scored 18 points and Shae Wright and Allison Bailey added eight points and seven rebounds each to lead the Chieftains, who spent last week practicing at 6:15 a.m. to prepare for Wednesday's 8 a.m. game. "We felt good in the game and we knew we would be mentally tough because that's what we have been all year," said Yost, who made a key three-point play late in the game to spark the win. "We didn't shoot that well, but we played good defense, that's what saved us." The Chieftains (17-4), who reached the semifinals last year, will play The Dalles (18-6), which beat Toledo, 77-40, Wednesday, today at 3 p.m. Seaside (21-5), playing in the tournament for the first time since 1987, dropped into the consolation bracket and will play Toledo (18-7) today. The Seagulls were led by junior Erika Hamer's 10 points. Seaside led 27-26 with 5:40 left in the game when the Chieftains went on an 11-2 run to take control. Yost had already scored 15 of her team's first 28 points when she was fouled while shooting with 4:20 left. Yost's first free throw went down, but her second rebounded directly to her and she scored for a 31-27 lead. "I was surprised how hard the ball came off the rim," Yost said. "My dad told me the rims were real soft and that's what they were most of the time. That bounce was unusual." Rogue River's fourth-quarter run was consistent with its season. Nine of the Chieftains' 12 Skyline Conference games were decided by 10 points or less, giving them plenty of experience in close games. "We lost a lot of offense from last year's team, so we focused on what we could do well -- defense and mental toughness," Rogue River coach Dan Mortinson said. "Our conference had a lot of parity and playing through that helped us. "I think being (in the tournament) last year helped us, too." Yost, who averaged 10.3 points per game, bailed Rogue River's offense out by making 6-of-15 field-goal attempts and 6-of-8 free throws. She also had six rebounds. "Mindi had a great game and we needed it," said Wright, who also played 32 minutes. "We all know she's capable of doing that." Rogue River made 14-of-36 shots from the field and held a 32-26 rebounding edge. Seaside made 14-of-45 field-goal attempts, but shot just 4-of-12 from the free throw line. The Seagulls were particularly stunned by the loss because they had won Saturday at Grant Union, a nine-hour bus ride to John Day, and felt they were capable of reaching the semifinals. "We thought we got a pretty good draw," Hamer said. "And if we won, we would get another good draw." SEASIDE (34) -- Hamer 10, Whisler 7, Pfund 7, Robison 2, Daggatt, Soller 6, Schaumberg 2, Foster 0, Kraske 0, Mendenhall 0, Brown 0, Arndt 0. ROGUE RIVER (40) -- Yost 18, Wright 8, Bailey 8, Marland 4, Anderson 2, Donaghy 0. Seaside ......................9 6 9 10 -- 34 Rogue River .......... 9 7 10 14 -- 40 Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.