Friday Harbor bounced back from its first loss of the new year to notch its third victory in four games with a 51-26 runaway win over Meridian, Tuesday, in Turnbull Gym.

Otis-Cooper West knocked down four three-pointers in the first half and scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Wolverines on the offensive end. Peter Strasser tallied 12 and Gabe Lawson added 10 points to the total.

Despite the lopsided score, senior C.J. Woods and company took added pleasure in handing their long-standing Whatcom County rival a decisive defeat.

“It’s Meridian,” Woods said. “They’re a good team but they always beat us in football and its seems like they just think that they’re better than us.”

Points proved hard to come by for the Trojans. The Wolverines grabbed an early advantage by outscoring Meridian 16-5 in the opening period and held the Trojans to just a single point in the third quarter. Friday Harbor carried a decisive 43-17 lead into the fourth and final period of play.

Blake Briones topped the Trojans with 15 points.

The Wolverines started the new year with back-to-back wins on the road, trouncing Mount Vernon Christian by 38 points on the heels of a 27-point victory over Nooksack Valley. They then fell to University Prep by five in a non-conference road contest, 51-46.

With the victory over the Trojans, Friday Harbor improved to 2-1 in 1A conference play and 5-7 overall. They remain undefeated against Northwest 1A/2B League competition, at 2-0, on the eve of a pivotal match up on the road, Friday, at Orcas (1-0, league, 2-5 overall). Tip off is 6 p.m.