Sports

Local Girls Basketball – 2/19

Roundup of local girls basketball teams’ playoff berths, recent results, and postseason prospects.

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Carl J. Butz

Carl J. Butz

February 19, 2026

With the regular season ending last week, nine of the 13 teams we have been following made it to playoff tournaments. Here are the results of last week’s games, tournament outcomes, and outlooks for the teams remaining in playoff tournaments.

Bear River Bruins: Last week, in their final two games of their regular season, the Bruins beat the Marysville Indians, 65-54, and the Oakmont Vikings, 54-44, to secure third place in the Pioneer Valley League (PVL). Then, on Tuesday of this week, the Bruins traveled to El Dorado for a Sac-Joaquin Section Basketball Playoff game against the Union Mine Diamondbacks. Unfortunately, while the Bruins were tied with the Diamondbacks, 26-26, at the end of the first half, the Diamondbacks outscored the Bruins in the second half, 32-20. Thus, the Bruins were eliminated in the first round of their playoffs.

Chester Volcanoes: The Volcanoes completed a three-game win streak when they waltzed past the Los Molinos Bulldogs, 43-20, on Tuesday, 2/10. However, last Friday evening against the Redding Christian Lions, the Volcanoes were unable to avenge the eight-point defeat the Lions gave them in late January, and lost 43-32. Nonetheless, the Volcanos took second place in the Five Star League and earned the number one seed and a bye in the first round of the Division 7 playoffs held by the Northern Section of the California Interscholastic Federation (NSCIF). Since the Volcanoes easily defeated both teams in Division 7’s first round, I anticipate the Volcanoes advancing to the championship round.

Colfax Falcons: As predicted here last week, the Falcons had no trouble outscoring the Oakmont Vikings (60-29) and Marysville Indians (62-34), finishing the regular season atop a 17-game winning streak and champions of the PVL. On Tuesday of this week, the Falcons, seeded sixth in Division 2 of the NSCIF playoffs, took the court against the eleventh-seeded St. Francis Troubadors of Sacramento and pulled off a 74-50. Tonight, the sixth-seeded Falcons will be playing Loomis’ Del Oro Golden Eagles, the third seed in Division 2. This quarterfinal game, against the toughest opponent the Falcons have faced this season, will certainly be a big challenge.

Herlong Vikings: Again, as expected, last Friday the young Vikings gained valuable experience while being drubbed (49-15), at home, by the Loyalton Grizzlies. With the six ninth graders and one sophomore on this year’s team being a year older and taller next year, the unit will take the court in the 2026-2027 with an excellent chance to improve the 2-14 won-loss record they posted this season.

Lassen Grizzlies: Last week, the Grizzlies ended their regular season by dominating Shasta Lake’s Central Valley Falcons, 77-34. Then, on Tuesday of this week, the Grizzlies, seeded eighth in the NSCIF’s Division 4 playoffs, faced Arbuckle’s ninth-seeded Pierce Bears. As it happened, the Grizzlies edged out a 62-60 victory over the visiting Bears. Thus, tonight, the Grizzlies will be facing the West Valley Eagles, the top seed in Division 4. Since the Eagles outscored the Grizzlies, 64-34, back on 1/30, it will be a big upset if the Grizzlies win tonight’s game and advance to the third round of their division’s tournament.

Loyalton Grizzlies: Having closed out their regular season with easy victories over the Princeton Eagles (56-28) and Herlong Vikings (49-15), the 2025-2026 Pioneer League champions earned a bye in the first round of the NSCIF’s Division 6 playoffs. Tomorrow night, the Grizzlies, seeded fourth, will play the fifth-seeded Biggs Wolverines for the opportunity to advance to the third round of the Division 6 playoffs.

Modoc Braves: With a strong, 46-28, victory over the Fall River Bulldogs last Thursday evening, the Braves received the number one seed and a bye for the first round of the NSCIF’s Division 5 playoffs. Tonight, the Braves will play a second-round game against the tournament's 4th-seeded East Nicolas Spartans with a good chance of advancing to the championship round against either the Durham Trojans or Trinity Wolves.

Nevada Union Miners: Last Thursday, the Miners closed their regular season by walloping the Yuba City Honkers, 56-27, and, tied for second place in the Foothill Valley League with Lincoln’s Twelve Bridges Raging Rhinos, the Miners earned the seventh seed in the NSCIF’s Division 3 playoffs. Then, on Tuesday night of this week, the Miners hosted Placerville’s tenth-seeded El Dorado Cougars and won, 51-44, to advance to a quarterfinal game tonight against Manteca’s East Union Lancers, the second seed in the Division 3 tournament. As underdogs, the Miners face a huge challenge on their path to the semi-final round.

Placer Hillmen: After warming up for postseason play with a 61-28 triumph over the River Valley Falcons last Friday night, the Hillmen, champions of the Foothill Valley League, secured the number one seed in the NSCIF’s Division 3 playoffs. Then, on Tuesday, 2/17, the Hillmen easily beat Sacramento’s Florin Panthers, 75-16. Tonight, the Hillmen face the Rio Linda Knights in a quarterfinal contest and are favored to beat this ninth-seed. If the Hillmen do win and advance to the semi-finals, they will most likely play Lincoln’s Twelve Bridges Raging Rhinos, a team the Hillmen outscored 64-38 earlier this month. Thus, the odds of the Hillmen going to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on 2/28 to play for the Division 3 championship are quite good.

Plumas Charter Warriors: After winning their last two games (38-29 over the CORE Butte Lynx on 2/11 and 54-24 against the Westwood Lumberjacks), the Warriors finished second in the Pioneer League and were seeded ninth in the Division 6 playoffs. Tonight, 2/19, the Warriors will face the eighth-seeded Burney Raiders, looking to advance to the second round of the division’s playoffs.

Portola Tigers: The Tigers closed out their 5-win and 19-loss season on a high note, beating the Maxwell Panthers, 51-20, for sole possession of fourth-place in the Mid-Valley League.

Quincy Trojans: With a 32-28 win over the Hamilton Braves last Friday, the team finished the season with a four-game winstreak and tied for second place in the Mid-Valley League.

Westwood Lumberjacks: Last Friday night, the Lumberjacks suffered a 24-54 loss to the Plumas Charter Warriors and, sadly, ended their season with no wins and twelve losses.

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