Mount Rainier's Rams routinely rode roughshod early and often in a Thursday, December 20, Seamount League 58-23 win over visiting Evergreen to run their league record to 3-1.

Sophomore guard Marisa Blair's driving layup off the opening tip set the tone for the entire night.

Blair scored the first nine points of the game including a 3-pointer before Lyndsay Breed's outside shot and 3-point goal made the score 14-0 with 6:48 remaining in the first quarter. Forcing continuous turnovers, the Rams' Sarah Martinez and the rest of the Mount Rainier team scored at will. Short in physical stature and short on experience, the hustling Wolverines found themselves short on scoring as well.

Reserves flooded the floor early and often for both squads as Mount Rainier climbed to 27 consecutive points before Rahel Tassew scored Evergreen's first points with a layup early in the second quarter.

At one point, the Rams extended their lead to 39 points before Evergreen (0-4 league, 0-5 overall) scored the last four points of the game.

"Our team is solid," declared senior guard Sarah Martinez, who earned 12 steals and nine points. "Tonight we were solid with steals. When we play our game, no one will beat us. Marisa runs the floor, LB (Breed) shoots, Melissa (Yapp) posts up and Alison (Vrbanac) is an all-around player. We have no weak spots and we're going to state!"

Blair ran the floor for frequent high percentage shots en route to a game-high 23 points while adding nine steals.

"We're working as a team and staying together," stated Blair. "We've improved on assists. There wasn't much pressure on us tonight, but we are hoping to apply pressure to other teams. We're definitely looking to make the playoffs."

Breed poured in 12 points while Yapp grabbed 16 caroms off the glass. Salemna Vluthy had five points for Evergreen.

Head coach Bob Bolam viewed the Ram season thus far.

"The good part is you win," concluded Bolam. "The bad part of the game was the offense was just running up and down the floor. We're not executing our set up offense. Sarah and Marisa are both quick on their feet and quick with their hands. The effort is good and we're beating the teams we're supposed to beat. We're still waiting for a break through against a team at the next level. To be successful in the end, we need to become more disciplined and execute well on offense. That will tell the tale. On defense we have the ability to do multiple things and create havoc on the floor."

On Friday, the Rams delivered a 54-51 nonleague defeat to previously unbeaten Class 2A state contender Foster. Deadlocked at 37-37 after three quarters, homestanding Mount Rainier outscored the Bulldogs 17-14 to raise its overall record to 6-3. Vrbanac scored 17 points while Martinez joined her teammate in double figures with 13. The B & B duo of Blair and Breed each scored nine points.

For Foster (5-1), post player Sara Paponjak notched a game high 18 points. Shantel Carmichael and Zerina Kapatanovich added eight points each.