Mules fall just short to Columbia Adventist during state tourney

The Wahkiakum boys varsity basketball season ended in the Round of 12 on Wednesday, March 4, as the Mules fell to the Kodiaks 57-52. Going into the matchup, the Mules had played Columbia Adventist three times throughout the season, going 2-1. Unfortunately, it would be the Kodiaks who took the fourth game of the series, leading much of the game and fending off a late comeback from the Mules down the stretch.

Head Coach Rob Garrett said there wasn't much mystery about the result; it just came down to Columbia Adventist playing better than Wahkiakum. "CAA, just simply put, had a better day than we did," Garrett said after the defeat.

The Kodiaks and Mules couldn't be separated through the first quarter, with CAA leading 10-9 after one. However, things started to get away from Wahkiakum in the second quarter. The Kodiaks got some breathing room on the scoreboard behind an 18-10 advantage in the second, taking a 28-19 lead into the break. In the third, CAA continued to extend the lead. The Kodiaks outscored the Mules for the third straight quarter, this time with a 15-10 advantage in the frame.

While the Kodiaks controlled much of the game, things were thrown back into the balance in the fourth quarter. Trailing 43-29 going into the final frame, the Mules dug deep and fought for their season. Wahkiakum outscored CAA 23-14 in the period and brought the game to as close as five points with 1:22 left. Unfortunately, Wahkiakum wouldn't get any closer, and CAA knocked down clutch free throws down the stretch to ensure the Kodiaks advanced.

Though it wasn't the result Garrett and the Mules were hoping for, seeing the team battle until the end was a measure of consolation. "It was nice to see the guys not give up and come back after being way down and fight their way back to having a chance," Garrett said.

Senior Parker Leitz was on fire during the game, knocking down six threes and tallying a game-high 30 points for the Mules. Seniors Cooper Carlson and Gage Robinson were Wahkiakum's other leading scorers, registering eight and nine points respectively.

For Wahkiakum, the seniors were the ones leading the way during a season that saw the Mules take a district title for the first time in more than two decades. "It was a very talented senior class, and I was happy to see them put it all together in the district tournament to bring home the first district championship in 22 years," Garrett said.

Though a trip to the quarterfinals would have been a big accomplishment, there's no doubt this season's Mules team hit historic heights.

Naselle's girls season proves special

Following Naselle's tight 53-56 playoff loss to Pomeroy on Feb. 28, Comets' Head Coach Marie Green offered some insight about her message to the group after such a close defeat.

"I told the girls that they played one heck of a game, and that I know the burn of losing is in the forefront, but to hold their heads up high because they played so well and it didn't fall our way," Green said. "This what-if game is going to be something that we will learn from."

The trip to the postseason this year was all the more special because of how close the Comets came last season. In the 2025 district tournament, Naselle was one win shy of qualifying for state, falling just short by losing to Willapa Valley. This season, the girls leaped over that hurdle. "It meant the world to get to this spot," said Green. "We really wanted to make it last year and it was cut short by a game, and we used that to fuel what we wanted this year. We truly were not ready to be done, but for the girls coming back, this will give them even more of a drive and hunger to get farther next year."

While Naselle will have a solid chunk of players returning to continue their high school basketball careers, the team's four seniors left a legacy of play not just this season, but throughout their time playing for the Comets. Brooke Davis, Mylee Dunagan, Mallory Helvey, and Haylee Rose led by example for Naselle, and they were part of the DNA for a team that was special. "Though I think that the overall legacy that this group of seniors will leave is what they were able to do on the court - especially in defense - Mylee and Brooke, in particular, were so intense and tenacious that it really flustered a lot of teams," Green said.

Though her team's 17-7 record and state berth are notable, when Green looks back on this team in the coming years, it won't be the results that stand out to her. "Looking back, it will be that they were a special group of girls," she said. "They worked together, and there was a true sense of team. They all wanted to continue playing on. No one checked out early, and they all continued to work hard."