The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The Naselle Comettes knocked the Wahkiakum Mule girls basketball team out of the Southwest 2B Girls District Basketball Tournament with a 65-49 decision Monday in Montesano.

The Comettes jumped out to a 22-12 first quarter lead and never let the Mules back in the game.

“Naselle did a great job of turning our turnovers into points,” said Mule Coach Marc Niemeyer. “They dominated the boards; the Comettes had 29 offensive rebounds to create a lot of second chance points.”

Whitley Wirkkala led the Mule effort with 14 points and five rebounds. Halie Boyce scored eight, Jordyn Wirkkala seven, Rachel Fudge and Shelby Deaton six each, and Courtney Helms, Sara Jespersen, Evelyn Clark and Kristina Heiner all with two.

Heiner had seven rebounds; W. Wirkkala, Deaton, Jespersen and Helms all had five; J. Wirkkala had four rebounds and five assists.

The Comettes had balanced scoring with four players in double figures. Erin Saari put in 15, Cheryl Steppe 15, Brandi Keightly 14, Ashley Ahlstrom 13, Kellyn Pakenen 4 and Colette Beaulaurier 3.

The Comettes made 22 of 78 shots, 28 percent, and 21 of 32 free throws, 65 percent. The Mules made 16 of 60 shots, 26 percent, and 15 of 27 free throws, 55 percent.

The game was the final for the team’s seniors, Fudge and Stephanie Johnson.

The Mules opened district play with a 73-41 loss to Willapa Valley. The Vikings jumped ahead 22-10 in the first quarter as the Mules had trouble with their press.

“We only shot 46 times and we had several unforced turnovers when we did break their press,” Niemeyer said. “Chelsea Friese had a triple double for them with 38 points, 14 steals and 13 rebounds, and we had no answer for her.”

Clark led the Mules with 12 points. W. Wirkkala had eight, J. Wirkkala six, Helms and Fudge three each, and Jespersen and Heiner two each. J. Wirkkala had seven rebounds; W. Wirkkala six, and Clark, Deaton and Helms five each. Helms had four steals, and Clark had three.

The Mules made 13 of 46 shots, 28 percent, and 14 of 21 free throws, 66 percent. The Vikings made 31 of 71 shots, 43 percent, and eight of 13 free throws, 61 percent.