A 29-3 run that spanned the second and third quarters lifted Meridian to a 68-35 win over host Coupeville High School in the boys basketball opener for both schools.

“I didn’t see this coming,” coach Anthony Smith said. “I thought we would play them tougher.”

He noted that in off-season competition, Coupeville defeated Nooksack Valley and Nooksack Valley defeated Meridian, so he expected his club to be in the game.

After shooting well early in the contest, the Wolves went cold. They scored 17 points in the first quarter then only 18 the rest of the way.

The cold night from the field and a rash of turnovers during the Trojans’ run sunk the Wolves.

“You can’t win many basketball games turning the ball over 25 times,” Smith said.

Meridian scored the game’s first bucket, then Coupeville spurted to a 9-4 lead thanks in a large part to Wiley Hesselgrave. The Trojans recovered to lead 20-17 going into the second period; Hesselgrave accounted for 11 of Coupeville’s opening period points.

Midway through the second period, Meridian led 27-22 and then went on its decisive 29-3 run.

Aaron Trumbull tallied with seconds left in the third quarter and Matt Shank made the first two baskets of the final period. Those six points in less than two minutes doubled the Wolves’ output from the previous 12 minutes.

“We have to learn from the game — from the things we did correctly and from the things we did wrong,” Smith said.

“When we are aggressive, we will have success. We have got to believe in each other. When we do, we will be OK.”

Meridian, which led 37-23 at the half and 56-27 after three quarters, had five players score eight or more points. Alex Martin led the way with 17.

Hesselgrave finished with 13 to top the Wolves. Trumbull added six, Joel Walstad five, Shank four, C.J. Smith four, Aaron Curtin two and Rizo Johnson one.

The Wolves take on rival South Whidbey in Langley at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2. The varsity girls teams open the double-header at 5 p.m.