Tuesday’s opening game of the 1A District One basketball playoffs was a chance for the Coupeville High School boys basketball team to gain a measure of revenge against Friday Harbor.
Last season the Wolf Pack was eliminated from district competition by the Wolverines in the first round and on Jan. 2, Friday Harbor topped Coupeville 41-39 in a non-league game.
A defeat Tuesday night in the loser-out matchup meant the Wolves would have to wait until next year for another shot at Friday Harbor. But a balanced scoring attack coupled with some timely defense, advanced Coupeville to the second round of the tournament with a 64-58 victory.
“I’m proud of them. That’s kind of what we were looking for the way they played tonight,” coach Randy King said.
The Wolves took charge in the first quarter opening a 12-5 lead thanks to seven points from Cody Peters and a three-point bomb by J.D. Wilcox.
However, the Wolverines responded with a 10-0 run to open the second period of action and held an 18-16 halftime lead.
Both squads found the range in the second half and the baskets began falling.
Zepher Loesch scored a pair from downtown in the third period, Jason Bagby tallied eight points and Wilcox tossed in five more as the Wolves outscored Friday Harbor 25-15 to lead 41-33 heading into the final period of play.
“We took care of the ball pretty decent down the stretch, cut down on those turnovers, got the ball to the flanks and didn’t hurry,” King said.
The Wolverines put up 25 points of their own in the fourth quarter, but a 12-for-14 effort from the free throw line as part of a 23-point output sealed the victory for the Wolves.
Coupeville had four players score in double figures, led by Bagby with 16 points. Wilcox and Peters hit for 13 points each and Loesch scored 12 points.
Aaron Scheffer hit for a game-high 21 points for Friday Harbor and teammate Jordan Nash had 14.
Coupeville plays at Mount Vernon High School today against an opponent to be determined. Game time is either at 4:15 or 7:45 p.m.
“It’s kind of awesome getting into the tournament,” King said. “It’s the first time we’ve got to do something like that in awhile.”
Coupeville 64, Friday Harbor 58
Friday Harbor 5 13 15 25 — 58
Coupeville 12 4 25 23 — 64
Friday Harbor (58) — Austin Scheffer 6 6-6 21, Jordan Nash 6 0-0 14, Ryan Aylward 3 1-2 7, Albert Stasser 2 0-0 4, Pablo Lopez 3 0-0 6, Michael Ausilio 0 0-0 0, Michael Sandifer 1 0-0 2, Preston Ukra 0 1-2 1, Roy Taylor 0 2-2 2, Elliot Howard 0 1-2 1. Totals 21 11-14 58.
Coupeville (64) — Jason Bagby 6 2-2 16, J.D. Wilcox 5 2-3 13, Cody Peters 3 7-7 13, Zepher Loesch 2 6-7 12, Hunter Hammer 3 1-1 7, Geoff Wacker 0 0-0 0, Matt Petrich 0 0-0 0, Tyler King 0 0-0 0, Chad Brookhouse 1 0-0 2, Ian Smith 0 0-0 0, Tim Walstad 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 18-20 64.
Three-point goals — Friday Harbor 5 (Schaeffer 3, Nash 2), Coupeville 6 (Loesch 2, Bagby 2, Wilcox). Turnovers — Friday Harbor 10, Coupeville 15. Total fouls — Friday Harbor 16, Coupeville 15. Fouled out — none.
