The road to the state playoffs in the 2B District 4 Tournament is a rough one.

Raymond-South Bend found that out on Tuesday with a 70-48 loss to Rainier at Montesano High School.

The Ravens (12-7 overall) got off to a good start by scoring the game’s first five points on a drive and layup by sophomore guard Megan Kongbouakhay followed by a three from sophomore forward Kassie Koski.

Rainier (21-2), the 2B class No. 2 RPI-ranked team, took a 12-9 lead on a three from sophomore forward Anika Plowman and led 19-10 when senior post Haleigh Hanson scored from the low block at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, RSB would trim the deficit to four points when Kongbouakhay buried a three to make it a 25-21 game with 3:17 to go in the first half.

But whenever the Ravens made a move, the Mountaineers responded.

Rainier junior guard Angelica Askey scored off a Ravens turnover and followed that up by drilling a jump shot to put the Mountaineers up 29-21.

It appeared as though the Ravens would enter halftime down five after freshman guard Avalyn Stigall hit a three with 28 seconds left on the clock.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Raymond-South Bend’s Avalynn Stigall, left, dribbles against Rainier’s Brooklynn Swenson during the Ravens’ 70-48 loss in the 2B District 4 Tournament on Tuesday in Montesano.

But a steal and layup by Rainier junior guard Brooklynn Swenson with :02 left made it a 33-26 game at the break.

“We came to compete a little bit tonight, way more than when we first played them,” RSB head coach Jason Koski said of the first half, referencing his team’s 71-31 loss to Rainier on Jan. 6. “Our kids have a little pride in them and they wanted to show that they can compete at a high level.”

The third quarter is where the Ravens’ hopes of an upset ended as Rainier opened the frame with an 8-0 run, taking a 41-26 lead on a Swenson jumper with 5:19 on the clock.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Raymond-South Bend’s Kassie Koski drives to the hoop while defended by Rainier’s Jazzlyn Shumate during the Ravens’ 70-48 loss in the 2B District 4 Tournament on Tuesday in Montesano.

The Mountaineers continued to pour it on throughout the period, ending the quarter up 54-34 led by Askey’s nine points.

“We didn’t match their intensity,” Coach Koski said of his team’s third-quarter performance. “Good teams, when they come out at halftime and they are only up by seven and they know they should be up by more, they’re going to bring it a little bit more and you’ve got to match that.”

RSB never got the deficit back to within 20 points as the Ravens were relegated to the elimination bracket with the 70-48 loss.

Kongbouakhay and Stigall led Raymond-South Bend with 12 points apiece, with Stigall’s points coming on four 3-pointers.

Kassie Koski had seven points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals for Raymond-South Bend.

Askey led all scorers with 25 points, 17 of those coming in the second and third quarters combined.

The Ravens had 20 turnovers – 16 in the first half – and were outrebounded 27-23.

“Too many live-ball turnovers in the first half. You can’t play a team like that and have 16 turnovers in the first half. That’s just reality,” Coach Koski said. “We’re young and we have kids that never played in a game like that.”

With the loss, RSB will face Onalaska in an elimination game set for 6 p.m. on Thursday at Castle Rock High School.

“Now that we are on the other part of the bracket and looking at the teams there, you’ve got to relish the fact that you are still playing,” Coach Koski said. “You still get a chance to go compete and go prove your worth. If you don’t want it to be done, you can control that.”

Rainier 19 14 21 16 – 70

Raymond-South Bend 10 16 8 14 – 48

Scoring: Rainier – Askey 25, Swenson 18, Beckman 13, Murphy 6, Hanson 6, Bravo 2. RSB – Kongbouakhay 12, Stigall 12, Kas. Koski 7, Kyn. Koski 5, Baugher 5, Pine 4, Morley 3.