By Bryan Leighton, Journal contributor
The Friday Harbor Girls’ basketball team hosted league rival Mount Vernon Christian (MVC) on Friday night, facing a tough challenge. MVC, ranked 6th in the state at the 2B/1B level, continued their strong season, improving to 8-0 in league play and 15-3 overall. The Wolverines were determined to put up a fight, having suffered a 64-28 loss to MVC earlier this season.
MVC built an early lead, but Friday Harbor continued to compete, showing good defensive stretches throughout the game. They limited MVC to just seven points in the final period. Despite the 58-25 loss, the Wolverines’ effort reflected their growth and ability to stay engaged against a tough opponent.
Head coach Sue Grenfell saw plenty of positives in her team’s performance. “We were really pleased with how we played last night against MVC. MVC is one of the best 2B teams in the state, so our goal was to compete on every possession and not give them easy stops or scores. We felt like we accomplished that.”
One area of focus for the Wolverines was improving their ball-handling, and they showed noticeable progress. “Our guards have worked very hard to improve their passing and decision-making, and that really showed,” Grenfell said, praising sophomores Lilly Carrillo and Atziry Orozco Jimenez for their improved ball control. Vera Schoultz, this season’s leading Wolverine scorer, led the team with eight points. Freshmen Lola Clark and Ila Allen, two players the team is excited about, made their mark, with Clark scoring six and Allen adding two.
It has been years since the girls’ program has featured multiple players close to or over six feet tall. With Allen, Clark, and Schoultz providing height in the post, rebounding and inside play continue to become the cornerstone of the team. Combined with the explosive movement of Orozco Jimenez and junior Charley Lawrence-Sampson, the Wolverines are laying a strong foundation for current and future postseason success.
The Wolverines will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m. against Orcas Island in their final home game of the season. They will look to close out their home schedule on a high note and build momentum for the remainder of the season, positioning themselves favorably heading into the district postseason tournament.
The Friday Harbor Boys’ basketball team stayed within reach of MVC for most of the game but couldn’t close the gap late, falling 58-45. While the result wasn’t what Friday Harbor had hoped for, senior captain Pierce Kleine treated the home crowd to another impressive performance. With 24 points on the night, Kleine continued his dominant senior season and, at times, seemed nearly unstoppable. His combination of power to the basket and smooth three-point shooting makes him a nightmare for opposing coaches to handle. Kleine is currently among the top five
players in points per game across all state classifications (4A-1B schools), a tremendous accomplishment.
Kleine received solid help from sophomore Julius Matsumura, who added 13 points, while sophomores Jackson Feliz and Channing Kleine made steady contributions to help set up the offense.
Head coach Brandyn Pedersen sees his team making steady progress.
“I think we’re getting closer to finding our identity. We’ve transformed our defensive aptitude. We just need to clean up a couple of things in the last two regular-season games to prep for the district tournament.”
The Wolverines have gone 3-2 in their last five games, including a one-point loss to La Conner, and are showing improvement as the regular season winds down. Their defense is tightening up, and with star player Pierce Kleine leading the way, they’re hoping to gain momentum heading into the postseason.
Friday Harbor will play Orcas Island at home on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 5:30 p.m. Their last meeting ended in dramatic fashion, with sophomore Channing Kleine hitting a free throw in the final second to seal the win. This rematch is expected to be another competitive matchup as the Wolverines look to sweep the season series.
