Postseason approaches for both Naselle and Wahkiakum

The varsity basketball district championships are around the corner for the Comets and Mules. Both schools will look to finish the regular season strong as they prepare to mount a postseason charge.

Though results from some of the games were not available at the time of press, the body of work for Naselle and Wahkiakum to this point should give a pretty good indication of where they'll stack up when the district championships tip off next week. Diving into recent results may help indicate what the playoffs have in store for the Comets and Mules.

Comets basketball

The Naselle girls basketball team secured the league title with time to spare ahead of the District 4 1B Girls Basketball Tournament. They even did it before their Senior Night matchup with Ocosta on Tuesday, Feb. 3. The Comets are atop the Coastal 1B standings with an 8-0 league record and were 14-5 at the time of press.

Despite taking a loss to Pe Ell on Jan. 21, Naselle quickly recovered and snagged back-to-back wins against Willapa Valley and Warrenton to remedy the post-loss blues. Naselle controlled the game from the start. This was a nice change from the first matchup with the Vikings, when the Comets took some time to find their rhythm. Head Coach Marie Green was thrilled with the performance, as it was a well-deserved win to earn the league crown. "I am so proud of the girls," said Green. "[The] last time we played Valley, we had a slow start. Tonight, we came out and just pushed the tempo and pace in our favor."

One of the decisive moments of the game was a red-hot second quarter for Haylee Rose, who scored 10 of Naselle's 16 points in the period. Moving all around the court, Rose got some great open looks and cashed in. Helping up the intensity were Brooke Davis, Mylee Dunagan, and Brooklyn Avalon.

"Mylee, Brooke, and Brooklyn had some great success on the top of our press tonight," said Green. "All the girls contributed in ways that the stats don't always show."

The next win against Warrenton was another standout performance, as the Comets willed their way to a win despite missing star junior Aubrey Katyryniuk through illness.

"I am beyond proud of how the girls played tonight," said Green. "Aubrey was out sick with the flu. The girls played well and stepped up big time. Warrenton pushed us out of our comfort zone a little. We had to adjust on the fly, and we did pretty well doing that."

The Warriors proved a tough group on the boards, and it took time for the Comets to find the cracks in a physical Warrenton defense. The game was close at halftime, with the score being 26-29 to Naselle. The Warriors grabbed the lead in the third, outscoring the Comets 17-10 to bring a 43-39 advantage into the fourth. In the final period, Naselle played stifling defense, holding Warrenton to just one point and securing the win with 11 of their own. Looking at the stat sheet after the game, Green, noting the Comets' ability to draw fouls and make shots at the line, said, "We were even with them but scored six more free throws than they did. That was the difference in our game tonight. I talk to the girls and tell them that free throws matter."

That's been one of the themes for the Naselle girls all season. Now, with the district championships ahead, they will need to keep their focus as they chase a spot in the state tournament.

The final regular-season game against Ocosta honored the program's seniors: Brooke Davis, Mallory Helvey, Haylee Rose, Mylee Dunagan, and Jaylee Bonk.

For Naselle's boys, the past week saw them play just one game, according to WPAnetwork.com. The Comets rebounded after two consecutive defeats to win 66-51 against Clallam Bay on Saturday, Jan. 31. The 15-point victory against the Bruins was Naselle's biggest win since Tuesday, Jan. 13, when the Comets dominated Cornerstone Christian Academy 87-24.

Naselle's final regular-season game was against North Beach on Wednesday, Feb. 4, but the results of the game were not available at the time of press. The Comets will still have a chance to earn their way to the state championships if they can fight through the District 4 1B Boys Basketball Championships starting on Feb. 10.

Mules hoops

Wahkiakum may have taken their first league defeat of the season, but that certainly hasn't dampened the squad's ambitions. Facing off with Columbia Adventist on Monday, Feb. 2, the Mules lost by just two points, 64-62. The loss dropped the Mules' league record to 6-1, but Head Coach Rob Garrett said the contest showed the team's improvement in several areas.

"Last night was a great atmosphere and a close game down the stretch," said Garrett. "Our boys showed more poise than we have in the past, and it was a big growing moment even though we came up short. We hit big shots, as well as some pressure free throws in the fourth, and executed our plays in the final seconds; but, unfortunately, couldn't get the tying bucket we needed."

The Mules had been playing well going into the game, holding a 6-0 league record. They beat the Kodiaks in their previous matchup on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Though Wahkiakum was clicking on offense, Garrett said the Mules couldn't get the stops they needed to keep their perfect league season alive.

"We were on a bit of a roll offensively heading into last night but, unfortunately for us, our defense didn't hold up its end of the bargain, and CAA made a few more crucial plays than us when it was all said and done," Garrett said.

Wahkikaum's ability to hit shots from the outside has been one of the squad's strengths this year. Garrett said that when the ball is moving, knocking down shots has been one of the season's highlights. One of the key players helping generate offense for the Mules has been senior Parker Leitz. Showcasing a lethal outside shot and a versatile game in the midrange and around the hoop, the lengthy senior has been a calming force for the Mules on offense.

"Parker has definitely had some huge games offensively for us," said Garrett. "It's nice to have a guy who can go get a bucket with confidence." Before they hit the court at the district championships, the Mules played against Pe Ell on Tuesday, Feb. 3, and won 75-65. A recap of Tuesday's game will be included in next week's report. The team will play Neah Bay on Friday, Feb. 6. Going into the final games, Garrett said it's all about putting in effort, bringing intensity, and playing as a team, no matter what a player's role is.

"The dream is in front of us," said Garrett. "It's time to go secure some lifelong memories! We have to keep honing our defense and rebounding. We also need to continue to work on ball security and working off the ball. These will be the areas that, if we improve on down the stretch, we can get over the hump."

Wahkikaum's girls basketball team is also carrying momentum into the end of the season. Since the loss to Naselle on Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Mules had gone 4-1 going into their Tuesday, Feb. 3 regular season finale against Pe Ell. The results of Tuesday's game were not available at the time of press. Wins over Oakville and Columbia Adventist have put the Mules in a good position to earn a top-three seed at the district championships among the 1B Columbia Valley District teams.

Wahkiakum will have a chance to punch their ticket to state at the District 4 1B Girls Basketball Championships, which commence on Tuesday, Feb. 10.