Pioneers pull away late to defeat Coupeville / Girls basketball

By Jim Waller • December 27, 2018 1:30 am

According to Coupeville High School girls basketball coach David King, the Wolves’ 64-41 loss at Nooksack Valley Saturday, Dec. 22, should fall into the “score doesn’t tell the whole story” category.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Coupeville was still in the game, trailing 44-34.

“Then everything went awry,” King said. “Two straight turnovers led to two straight three-pointers. That opened the floodgates for Nooksack, who went on 21-7 run to finish the game. Nooksack hit six of their nine three-pointers in the quarter.”

The Wolves got off to a slow start, and the Pioneers (6-3) built a 17-8 first-quarter lead.

Coupeville “tightened things up on defense,” King said, and held its own in the second and third quarters, trailing 27-15 at halftime and 39-26 after three periods.

“All game our turnovers and lack of securing defensive rebounds helped put us in the hole we were in,” King said. “Nooksack pounded the offensive boards and at times came away with two or three extra possessions.”

Ema Smith hit a pair of three-pointers on the way to leading the Wolves in scoring with 13 points. Chelsea Prescott had 9, Lindsey Roberts 8, Scout Smith 4, Avalon Renninger 3, Mollie Bailey 3 and Hannah Davidson 1.

Prescott collected seven rebounds and Roberts five; Roberts and Renninger also had three assists; and Nicole Laxton blocked two shots.

Only five Pioneers scored but three finished in double figures, led by Jenna Tenkley with 21.

Despite the setback, King said, “One thing that holds true with this team, we never quit and keep fighting until the end.”

Coupeville (2-0, 4-5) doesn’t play again until 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, when it returns to North Sound Conference action against King’s (2-0, 3-3) in an early showdown between the only two schools unbeaten in league play.