YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Once Prosser's offense hit its stride in the second half on Friday, it was full speed ahead to the Class 2A state quarterfinals next week in the SunDome.

The top-ranked Mustangs scored 40 points after the break
-- 20 each in the third and fourth quarters -- and cruised to a 65-43 victory over Ephrata in a first-round game Friday night at Central Washington University's Nicholson Pavilion.

Extending its win streak to 10 games after a non-league loss to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Prosser shot a brisk 53 percent on 26-for-49 shooting.

And Sydney Mercer was a big reason why.

The 5-foot-11 sophomore wing made 8 of 14 field goals, all four of her free-throw attempts, and had game-high totals of 20 points and 12 rebounds.

"She's done that a couple times," said Prosser coach Mark Little. "Her shooting was good, and she really hit the boards hard."

Tamara Jones scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half, making 7 of 8 shots, and Tayshia Hunt popped in 14 points for the Mustangs.

"We had some trouble with fouls in the first half and we had too many turnovers in the third quarter, but our offense really took over in the second half," Little noted. "Overall, it was a pretty good game for us."

The Mustangs (23-1) have plenty of time to rest up for the quarterfinals. They don't play until 9 p.m. next Thursday in the SunDome against today's winner between White River and Sumner.

Ephrata -- Barnes 2, Boyd 0, Buchert 7, DeHoog 0, Eisen 0, Lotz 7, Lutz 0, Smith 12, Weaver 0, Woods 3, Yenney 12.
Prosser -- B. Adams 0, T. Adams 2, Davis 0, K. Flores 5, T. Flores 6, Garza 0, Hall 0, Hunt 14, Jones 16, Mercer 20, Petersen 2, Wiley 0.
Ephrata	5	7	21	10	--	43
Prosser	12	13	20	20	--	65