Bi-district and district tournaments start this week as Southwest Washington teams look to qualify for state, and administrators are keeping an eye out on the weather, preparing to make changes to the schedule if needed
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
It is time for playoff basketball.
For high school teams in Southwest Washington, it is the opportunity to qualify for the state tournament.
And this week, for athletic directors, it is a chance for them to play meteorologists.
With the forecast calling for a winter storm in the region Thursday and into Friday, at least one school was proactive, moving a game that was previously scheduled for Thursday to Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Fans are reminded that while there are plenty of playoff basketball games on the schedule in the coming days, the official tournament bracket sites should provide timely updates if games are postponed, rescheduled, and the like.
But a quick reminder of how the next two weeks go for area basketball teams. For Class 4A and 3A boys and girls teams, there is a bi-district tournament that includes leagues from the Puget Sound region. In Class 2A and 1A, as well as 1B, teams play in district tournaments.
Here is a rundown of the Southwest Washington teams in each tournament, via classification:
Class 4A boys:
Camas earned the top seed for the 16-team bi-district tournament. The Papermakers host No. 16 Graham-Kapowsin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12. (This game might start a little late because there is a girls playoff game at 5:30 p.m.) Camas won the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League title.
Skyview is the 9-seed and will travel to face No. 8 Sumner at 6 p.m. Wednesday. No. 11 Union is at No. 6 Emerald Ridge at 6 p.m.
The better seeds also get home games for the quarterfinals. So Camas could host two games this week.
This is a double-elimination tournament. Six of the 16 teams will qualify for regionals, which is considered the state tournament. The final four in the championship bracket will qualify for state, so two wins in a row to open the tournament will be enough for state. The other two spots will be won through the consolation bracket.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4579
Class 4A girls:
The girls tournament was supposed to start Thursday, Feb. 13, but Camas High School got a little creative and proactive. Because Camas is hosting boys and girls, and because of the forecast for a winter storm on Thursday night, the Papermakers and opponents agreed to go with a girls-boys doubleheader Wednesday Feb. 12.
Camas, the defending state champion, is the 4-seed and will host No. 13 Kentwood at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The bigger story in the 4A GSHL this season has been Union. The Titans won the league title and then earned the No. 1 seed to the bi-district tournament. They are scheduled to host No. 16 Puyallup at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Skyview, the 12-seed, is at No. 5 Olympia at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Just like the boys tournament, six of the 16 teams will qualify for state regionals. The top four in the championship bracket will advance and two survivors in the consolation bracket will advance. The best seeds in the quarterfinals will also get home games, meaning Union and Camas could have two home games each. (Keep in mind that as of Wednesday morning, the official bracket still says Camas plays Thursday. But Clark County Today confirmed with the Camas administration that the girls do, indeed, play Wednesday.)
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4580
Class 3A Boys:
The Prairie Falcons are your Class 3A Greater St. Helens League champions, and they earned the 6-seed to the bi-district. Prairie opens at home at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb 12, against Lakes.
Mountain View got a home game, too, with the 8-seed. The Thunder will face White River at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Evergreen is the 13-seed and will travel to face No. 4 Bellarmine at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The 3A bi-district qualifies seven teams to state. The top four in the championship bracket will make it, as well as three survivors from the consolation bracket.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4581
Class 3A Girls:
Mountain View won the 3A Greater St. Helens League championship and earned a 4-seed to this bi-district. That means two home games in the championship bracket should the Thunder win their first game, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday against No. 13 Thomas Jefferson.
Evergreen is the 7-seed and has a home game against Lakes at 6 p.m. Thursday. Kelso also reached the bi-district.
The 3A bi-district qualifies seven teams to state. The top four in the championship bracket will make it, as well as three survivors from the consolation bracket.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4582
Class 2A Boys:
Pigtail games for the boys tournament are scheduled for Wednesday, with Hockinson at W.F. West and Washougal hosting Aberdeen. The rest of the tournament starts Saturday. Ridgefield and Columbia River from Clark County are joining other 2A GSHL teams Mark Morris and R.A. Long in a tournament that also features the Evergreen Conference. Four teams will qualify for state.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4615
Class 2A Girls:
Columbia River, as the 2A Greater St. Helens League champion, earned one of the No. 1 seeds in this bracket. The Rapids will open the tournament on Friday, Feb. 14.
The tournament opens Wednesday, Feb. 12, with pigtail games. One of those games will be at Washougal as the Panthers host Aberdeen at 5 p.m. R.A. Long is also in a pigtail game.
Woodland, Ridgefield, and Mark Morris are also in the tournament. Their first-round matchups are Friday against Evergreen Conference foes. Four teams will qualify for state.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4616
Class 1A Boys:
The District 4 Class 1A boys tournament is scheduled to start Thursday, Feb. 13. Seton Catholic is the Trico League champion. The Cougars will face Columbia-White Salmon in the opener.
Fort Vancouver, La Center, and King’s Way Christian will join the Cougars in this tournament. Four of the eight teams will advance to state.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4637
Class 1A Girls:
Seton Catholic also won the Trico League title in girls basketball. The Cougars are set to open this tournament with a home game at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, against Castle Rock.
King’s Way Christian also made it out of Clark County to reach the district tournament. Columbia-White Salmon, Castle Rock, and Kalama also made it out of the Trico League.
Four of the eight teams will qualify for state.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4636
Class 1B Boys:
Columbia Adventist earned one of the top seeds and will host Taholah at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 in the opener.
The top four teams in this eight-team tournament will advance to state.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4614
Class 1B Girls:
Columbia Adventist travels to Taholah for its opener in this tournament, with the game scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. The top four teams from this tournament qualify for state.
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4607
Also read:
- Camas’ Keirra Thompson named Miss Washington — state’s top senior basketball player
Camas senior Keirra Thompson earns Miss Washington, capping a stellar career. - Calling it ‘Baseballism,’ organizers hosting 24 high school baseball teams in Clark CountyBaseballism tournament brings 24 high school teams to Clark County turf fields for a multi-site showcase of talent
- The Study of Sports Podcast, March 14, 2025: A recap of state basketball, and a discussion on the formats of Washington tournamentsA new episode of The Study of Sports Podcast dives into Washington state basketball tournament formats, celebrating standout teams and players, and sharing insights from Spring Training.
- State basketball: Columbia River shines to take fourth place: Camas ends up sixthColumbia River secures fourth place, and Camas ties for sixth in the Washington state high school basketball championships
- High school girls basketball: Camas coach Scott Thompson’s resignation becomes official
Camas girls basketball coach Scott Thompson officially steps down after leading the team to multiple state tournaments, including a 2024 championship.
