On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the boys and girls basketball teams of Friday Harbor played their last home games of the season against the Mount Vernon Christian Hurricanes.
Boys
The Wolverine boys basketball team emerged victorious over Mount Vernon Christian by a score of 48-33.
The game was an emotional one for six of the Friday Harbor players. Seniors Eli Cooper-West, Andy Stromberg, Joe Stewart John Gustafson, Jake Lowe, and Simon Vincent were playing their last game at home for Friday Harbor. Joe Stewart put points on the board first with a three-point jump shot that was all net. The Wolverines looked loose and relaxed. They moved the ball well at the perimeter and patiently waited for high percentage shots. Early in the first quarter, Eli Cooper-West took a hard foul under the basket and repaid Mount Vernon by making the two free-throws. The game’s high scorer, John Gustafson, with 14 points, was leading the offense with memorable “no look” passes to his teammates. One of those found Jake Lowe under the basket for a score that drew loud cheers from the packed auditorium. Half way through the second quarter, the score was close and Mount Vernon seemed to be gaining momentum, but Gustafson pulled down a strong offensive rebound and put two points on the board. The scoring was back and forth in the latter part of the second quarter with Gustafson and Cooper-West each scoring to put the team up 26-18 at the half.
The second half started as the first half ended, with Friday Harbor maintaining momentum. Marshall Clark retrieved a hard fought rebound and scored taking a foul in the process and Isaac Mayer scored next. Friday Harbor slowly pulled away, playing strong defense and held Mount Vernon to only seven points in the final quarter. The Wolverines won the game with a comfortable margin of 48-33.
Girls
The Wolverine girls were up next, and fought hard but ultimately fell by one point 30-29. Seniors Hannah Hopkins, Hayden Mayer, and Alexa Mora were also playing their last home game. Mount Vernon quickly got on the board first but Hannah Hopkins responded right away with a beautiful outside jump shot from a nicely executed Ciera Bailey pass. Late in the first quarter Kiana Woods hit a three-point shot to put Friday Harbor up, but Mount Vernon responded with a flurry of activity on offense and went up 10-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw no score put up by either side. The second half got off to a fast start with Friday Harbor gaining momentum. Alexa Mora buried a three-point shot and Savannah Hoffman scored on a layup igniting the crowd. Shortly after that Hayden Mayer stole the ball and set up Ava Hoffman for a breakaway layup for 2. The fourth quarter started with a 14-14 score, and the game was a nail-biter right down to the end. Half way through Savannah Hoffman scored on a clutch layup and was fouled on the play. Sinking the foul shot put Friday Harbor up 19-18 with seven minutes left, and then Ciera Bailey sunk a jump shot for 2 and put Friday harbor up by 3. Ava Hoffman scored and the score was 23-20 with just a few minutes left. Head Coach Fred Woods called a time out to sort things out. The time out didn’t quite work as planned and Mount Vernon hit a very desperate three-point shot and tied it up. Friday Harbor answered back with two. Now it was Mount Vernon’s chance to take a time out and talk to their players as they were down 27-25 with just two minutes left. The final minute of the game saw no slowing down and Mount Vernon tied it up with less than a minute left at 27. Mount Vernon player Haley Hood drove to the basket but fell to the ground, after a foul, with an apparent knee injury and had to be carried off the court-halting the game for 10 minutes. Mount Vernon scored the free throw and was up 28-27, but Ciera Bailey hit a two-point clutch shot and put the Wolverines up by one. Mount Vernon came back and scored and there was no time left for Friday Harbor to respond, losing a hard fought game 30-29.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Senior Eli Cooper-West scores.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Junior Isaac Mayer scores.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Senior Eli Cooper-West leads the Wolverines in congratulating the opponents after the game.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Junior Kiana Woods moves the ball down court.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Senior Alexa Mora breaks away after a turnover.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Senior Hannah Hopkins moves the ball under the basket.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Sophomore Ava Hoffman shoots a three-point shot.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Senior basketball star John Gustafson and Wolverine wrestler James Guard stayed around after the game to support the girls’ team.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Kiana Woods moves the ball down court.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Junior Savannah Hoffman brings the ball down court.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Junior Ciera Bailey avoids double team coverage.
Staff photo/Greg Sellentin Senior Hannah Hopkins, and the other Wolverine players, offer support to a Mount Vernon player who was injured in the last-minute of play.
