Naselle and Wahkiakum basketball are both off and running

The holiday break for Naselle and Wahkiakum is fast approaching. While students from both schools could probably use a respite from their studies, the break also means a hiatus from getting up and down the basketball court for the Comets and Mules.

The final games before the holidays will be this week. With that in mind, let's take a look at how Wahkiakum and Naselle have begun their campaigns in 2025.

Wahkiakum Basketball

Head Coach Rob Garrett and the Mules boys basketball team have hit the ground running this December, winning four of their first five games. After drubbing Ocosta in the season opener on Dec. 4, Wahkiakum continued its momentum with a win against Ilwaco on Dec. 10.

The Mules sprang out to an early lead, but Ilwaco refused to go away, bringing the game back into the balance in the second half. While it would have been nice to keep the foot on the gas the whole time, Garrett said the Mules showed resilience and grit to hold on and execute when the game got tight.

"The Ilwaco game was a lot of fun, and even though we let them back in it, it was really nice to see the guys trust each other down the stretch and win a close game," Garrett said.

The Mules' game against Three Rivers Christian was suspended due to condensation on the court that rendered the game unplayable for safety reasons. The game finished in a 7-3 Mules win. Next up was Sunnyside Christian, which delivered Wahkiakum its first defeat of the season.

Sunnyside played a strong game, and Wahkiakum, playing on the road, lost 74-60. Despite taking the first loss, Garrett believes the adversity will turn out to be a positive for his squad.

"Sunnyside was a rough game for us, but it allowed us to come together after a tough outing and really focus on our defense," he said. "Although losing isn't fun, adversity can buy you a ticket to a place you never could have gotten to without it. That's exactly what that game did for us."

The Mules recovered exactly as Garrett hoped they would. In their next game, they lined up against the Willapa Valley Vikings on home court Dec. 15. Though shots weren't always falling for the Mules, they amped up their defense and work rate on the glass to dig out a 51-50 win.

"Tonight we had a rough offensive showing, but we continued to trust each other and attack the paint, but more importantly, we bought into defense and rebounding," said Garrett. "Jayden Stoddard and Joe Merz locked down Valley's best player, holding him to three points on the night collectively, and the other guys around them bought into defense as well. Huge win to get us back on track."

Parker Leitz led the way for the Mules in the scoring column with his 15 points. He added three rebounds and two assists as well. The biggest shot of the night, however, came from Jayden Stoddard, who got the ball in deep and finished a contested layup with nine seconds left to give the Mules their decisive one-point winning margin. Stoddard stuffed the stat sheet and finished with nine points, two assists, four steals, and four rebounds in the win.

The Mules played against Oakville on Dec. 16, but the result of that game was not known at the time of press. The final game before Christmas break takes place against the Washington School for the Deaf on Thursday, Dec. 18.

Wahkiakum's girls team has also been off to a successful start this winter, winning three of their first four games in commanding fashion. The Mules have played Ilwaco twice in their first four games, beating the Fishermen both times; the first by 49 on Wednesday Dec. 3, and then the second by 16 on Friday, Dec. 12.

Wahkiakum also pummeled Three Rivers Christian 50-9 on Thursday, Dec. 11. The one loss came against Morton/White Pass by a score of 62-33. The girls also played Oakville on Tuesday, Dec. 16, but the result of that game was not known at the time of press. The girls' final game before the break is also against the Washington School for the Deaf on Thursday, Dec. 18.

Naselle Basketball

The Naselle girls basketball team has shown its steel in the early part of the season, winning 75 percent of their opening games and grabbing a first league win to boot. After starting with a win against Tenino on Tuesday, Dec. 2, Naselle took a 53-38 loss against Toledo on Thursday, Dec. 4. Though they started the season with a record of 1-1, the Comets have a mini streak going, winning two in a row.

The game against Knappa on Wednesday, Dec. 10, was a thriller, with the Comets eking out a 43-42 win against the Loggers on their home floor. Despite starting in a 0-7 hole in the first quarter, Naselle fought back, finding its footing and staying in striking distance during the first half. Head Coach Marie Green said during the matchup, Mylee Dunagan, Brooke Davis, and Brooklyn Avalon, rebounding ferociously, were pivotal on the glass for the Comets.

In the third quarter, Naselle came to life, outscoring the Loggers 17-8 in the period and grabbing control going into the fourth. The run was powered by Aubrey Katyryniuk and Brooklyn Avalon, who finished the game with 10 and 18 points respectively.

"At halftime, we were only down three and came out firing," Green said. "Aubrey started to get a few shots in, and Brooklyn hit some clutch shots."

The Comets held the lead until nine seconds left, when a foul placed the Loggers at the line. Knappa hit both free throws, putting Knappa in control 42-41. In the end, it came down to a heads-up play from Haylee Rose to save the win for Naselle at the death.

"We brought the ball down," said Green. "Brooklyn got a shot up that was short. Haylee was right under the basket, grabbed the rebound, and then, off a reverse layup, got her shot to fall on the buzzer, giving us the win. I was super proud of how well we played all night. All the girls contributed in ways that made the team shine. It was a great game, and I could not be prouder of all the girls."

The next outing was against Taholah in the league opener. Naselle came away with a resounding 73-52 win. Avalon was on fire again, pouring in 28 points. Katyryniuk also chipped in a solid 16 for the Comets.

"From the opening tip, the girls applied the pressure and did not let up," Green said. "We moved the ball well on offense and put in some big defensive stops."

While Avalon and Katyryniuk led the way for Naselle, it was an excellent team effort. Six of the nine players hit a three during the game. The balanced approach helped Naselle pull away. For a team that wants to continue to improve every outing, the game marked a great first step in their league campaign.

"The game was fast-paced from start to finish, and it was so much fun to coach," Green said. "The girls played so well as a team, and that is what we continue to build on daily."

The Comets host North Beach on Thursday, Dec. 18 and then host Willapa Valley on Friday, Dec. 19 before they break for Christmas.

The Naselle boys basketball team has played just two games so far. Unfortunately, they ended up on the losing end of both contests. After losing to Knappa in the first game of the season on Wednesday, Dec. 10, the Comets fell to Taholah in their first league game on Saturday, Dec. 13. They will next take the court against Willapa Valley on Friday, Dec. 19.