Two big runs to close the second and third quarters brought an end to the Coupeville girls basketball team’s season on Saturday as Nooksack Valley defeated the Wolves 59-38 in a consolation round, loser-out game at Mount Vernon High School.

Coupeville finishes the season with a 5-16 overall record.

The Wolves started out in good shape holding a 13-8 lead after the first quarter of play and hit the first two baskets of the second period, but then the scoring stopped completely.

Coupeville went scoreless for over seven minutes and Nooksack Valley went on a 15-0 run to close out the first half and take a 23-17 lead at the break.

“We started out very strong and then we started missing a couple and our confidence went down,” Wolf coach Geoff Kappes said. “It’s tough because they knew they could play better than they did, but they continued to work.”

Erika Ramstead scored the first basket of the third period for Nooksack Valley to increase the lead to 25-17 before Ashley Manker broke the long dry spell with a hoop for Coupeville at the 7:32 mark.

Kassic Lawson connected on a three-point basket at the 6:42 mark, but that would be the final points the Wolves would score in the quarter.

Ramstead hit four additional baskets in the period as part of her game-high 24 points, and Nooksack Valley went on an 18-0 run to end the quarter.

“We struggled to get some looks that we wanted to get today and when we did get them, the shots just wouldn’t go down,” Kappes said.

The Pioneers outscored Coupeville 20-5 in the third quarter and went into the final eight minutes of the game with a commanding 43-22 lead.

“It’s difficult sometimes to get teams to continue to work when things aren’t going your way, but our girls showed great character today,” Kappes said. “I was really proud of the girls’ effort today. Overall it was a tough season for us, but the girls never quit trying, never quit working.”

Kayla Lawson was the only Coupeville player in double figures with 10 points. Kassie Lawson hit a trio of three-point baskets to finish the game with nine points.