Mountaineers overcome halftime deficit to top Vikings

A second-half offensive surge helped the Rainier basketball team overcome a halftime deficit on Friday, Dec. 5, when the Mountaineers took down Mossyrock 73-64.

Rainier was down 35-32 at the break, but scored 44 points in the second half to take control.

“We made big, timely shots down the stretch,” Rainier coach Ben Sheaffer said. “This is a product of us being super unselfish and just making the right basketball play.”

Peyton Sheaffer led the Mountaineers with 30 points, while Ty Beckman scored 16 and Ryder Martin tallied 15.

“We have room to grow on the glass and defending without fouling,” Ben Sheaffer said. “But overall, we are excited about our potential.

Mossyrock was led by Ethan Johnson’s 16, while three others also hit double-figures.

Colby Cournyer scored 11, and both Aylan Bigbee and Shaun Fry finished with 10. Blue Sievers wasn’t far behind with nine.

Both teams returned back to their home courts on Monday, when Rainier (3-0) was defeated by Montesano, 57-30, and Mossyrock hosted Oregon’s Rainier High School.