Next for Beach: O'Dea Part V?
Fighting Irish upset by Lincoln of Tacoma in Round 2
In an unexpected twist, the first Tacoma Dome opponent for top-seeded Rainier Beach Viking next Thursday could be … wait for it … the team many expected them to face in the championship game.
The O’Dea Fighting Irish, Part V, anyone?
That’s the probable scenario because No. 2 seeded O’Dea was toppled by No. 7 Lincoln of Tacoma 71-58 in a Round 2 matchup Saturday night at Bellevue College.
First, the Irish, 19-8, will have to beat Shorewood in a loser-out, Round of 12 game on Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., at the Tacoma Dome. The No. 10 seeded Stormrays, 19-7, slipped past No. 18 Monroe, 51-48, on Friday night to advance.
It was the second straight night of Metro League-related intrigue. No. 4 Eastside Catholic lost in a mild upset, 60-59, to No. 5 Bellarmine Prep on Friday night. That means that if the Crusaders win their loser-out game against No. 12 Liberty on Wednesday, 12:15 p.m., at the Tacoma Dome, they will advance to the opposite side of the bracket to Beach and O’Dea.
During the regular season, the Vikings won 78-67 at O’Dea and 78-76 on KJ Hightower’s last-second layup at Rainier Beach. They beat the Irish 62-49 in the Metro League championship game, then rallied from a 20-4 deficit to take a 56-47 decision in the District 2 championship.
Viking freshman JJ Crawford did not play in the last two meetings. He returned to action for the first time since Jan. 23, scoring 15 points as Rainier Beach beat Bellevue 90-69 in Round 2 on Friday night.
BEACH AT STATE 3A
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3A FAN GUIDES
Check out Wednesday’s South Seattle Emerald for Beach’s “Family Business”