Naselle and Wahkiakum girls ready for basketball clash

Both the Naselle and Wahkiakum girls basketball teams have been enjoying winning seasons on the hardwood. The two faced off against each other Wednesday in a non-conference matchup between the top teams in the Coastal and Columbia Valley Districts. The results of Wednesday's game were not available at the time of press but will be included in next week's edition of The Eagle. Wahkiakum entered the contest with a 7-2 record, but was coming off the second loss of the season against Morton/White Pass on Monday, Jan. 12. The 64-40 defeat was the second time the Mules lost at the hands of the Timberwolves.

On home court, the Mules started slowly. They soon found their feet, cutting an eight-point deficit to just two in the second quarter. It was a back-and-forth affair until midway through the third, when the Timberwolves bared their teeth. The Mules trailed 29-25 with just over four minutes left in the period, and then Morton/White Pass went on a run. Between the four-minute mark in the third and six-minute mark in the fourth, the Timberwolves outscored Wahkiakum 24-8. The deficit would prove too much to overcome. Morton/White Pass is a top-15 2B school in the WIAA's rankings and was always going to be a tough test.

The game on Jan. 12 didn't go their way, but the Mules have already grabbed their first win of the new year, beating Columbia Adventist in a district match on Tuesday, Jan. 6. It was a convincing 44-24 win that marked Wahkiakum's fourth consecutive conference win of the season, pushing their record in the 1B Columbia Valley Conference to 4-0. The 20-point victory was the sixth time this season that the Mules have won by double digits.

Naselle has been plenty busy since the turn of the new year, having already played six games. The Comets have gone 4-2 in that stretch, grabbing wins against Mary M. Knight, Lake Quinault, Ilwaco, and Ocosta. The two defeats came against Raymond/South Bend and Toutle Lake. Head Coach Marie Green and her team had a whirlwind of a week, playing four games in four days between Jan. 6 and Jan. 9. The final match of that slate was against Ocosta The 58-27 win was a rebound after a tough 60-42 loss against Toutle Lake.

"Day four in a row of games, and the girls were feeling it," Green said after the win. "I knew that we would be tired, and it showed; however, the girls really pushed through, and we were still able to play our game and get the win. With how tired they were, we had some slower transitions, but we were able to still run through our offense and play ball."

Brooke Davis and Brooklyn Avalon led the way for the Comets during the packed period to begin the new year. Green credited them for helping push Naselle through the slog of games. Avalon averaged 22 points per game (PPG) in the four-game flurry, and Davis chipped in 15 PPG during that stretch.

After the Ocosta game, Naselle got two hard-earned rest days before taking the court against Ilwaco on Monday, Jan. 12. The Comets put together a mesmerizing performance, beating the Fishermen by 49 points. It was the Comets' second-largest winning margin of the season. "The girls came out on fire and attacked hard," said Green. "We were moving the ball around, finding the open person, and rebounding so well. The girls were seeing the court super well with the amount of steals we racked up."

Naselle was pilfering possessions all night long, snagging 27 steals. One of the biggest chaos agents for the Comets was Mylee Dunagan. "Tonight was probably Mylee's best game to date," said Green. "She was so close to a triple double." Dunagan was everywhere, notching nine points, 12 rebounds, eight steals, and an assist. Once again, Brooke Davis and Brooklyn Avalon had their fingerprints all over the game, as Avalon finished with 25 points, two assists, three rebounds, and seven steals. Davis notched 16 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, and an assist. "All nine girls played their hearts out and worked together to get the win," Green said.

The attention will now turn to the KM Trophy game, with both the Mules and Comets vying for the title.

Boys update

Wahkiakum's boys have started the new year with a 2-0 record, scoring tight conference wins against Columbia Adventist Academy and Pe Ell. Single digits decided both games. Wahkiakum beat CAA 51-56 on Tuesday, Jan. 6, but had to beat back a comeback from the Kodiaks to secure the victory. Up by 13 going into the fourth, the Mules' lead was cut to just three points in the quarter before they pulled away to ensure themselves the victory. Wahkiakum built a 10-point lead against Pe Ell after the first frame and kept the Trojans at bay for the remainder of the game. The Mules will next play against Raymond/South Bend on Monday, Jan. 19.

Naselle has shaken off a 1-6 start to the season by recently grabbing some significant wins. With a packed January schedule, Naselle played five games in seven days between Saturday, Jan. 3, and Friday, Jan. 9. Though the first two games in that spell ended in defeat against Raymond/South Bend and Ilwaco, the Comets are now on a three-game win streak. The Comets bested Lake Quinault, Mary M. Knight, and Ocosta in league matchups, securing each win by double figures and getting their season back on track. The Comets have a 4-6 record at the time of press, and will next play Cornerstone Christian Academy on Thursday, Jan. 15.