Wildcats top Tommies for first Wesco win / Girls basketball

By Jim Waller • February 6, 2017 1:30 am

The Oak Harbor High School girls basketball team grabbed the lead late in the third quarter and then scrapped to the end for a 39-33 win over visiting Marysville-Pilchuck Friday, Feb. 3.

The win was the Wildcats’ (1-10, 4-15) first in 11 league games this winter; the Tomahawks (0-11, 0-18) remain winless for the season.

Oak Harbor’s final game at Meadowdale (2-9, 4-15) scheduled for Monday, Feb. 6, was postponed because of weather and will be played at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8.

Marysville-Pilchuck took a 4-2 lead 90 seconds into the game and led 14-10 at the quarter in spite of a pair of three-ball’s by Oak Harbor’s Bryn Langrock.

The Tomahawks upped their advantage to 25-18 at halftime.

Oak Harbor opened the second half on a 11-1 run and took the lead, 27-26, when Jordan Wood-Pina banked in a three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Langrock started the run with a free throw and three-ball, and Aujani Frye added a hoop before Wood-Pina’s big shot. Julie Jansen finished the rush by scoring off an offensive rebound.

Oak Harbor led 29-26 going into the last period.

M-P eventually regained the lead, 33-32, with 4:31 left in the game. From there, the Wildcats blanked the Tomahawks and scored the game’s final 7 points. Langrock connected on another three to give Oak Harbor the lead, then she combined with Rashanna Graham to sink four of six free throws in the final 36 seconds to secure the win.

Langrock led Oak Harbor with 14 points; Graham scored 12, Jansen 6, Wood-Pina 3, Mikhaela Cortez 2 and Frye 2.

Oak Harbor overcame foul trouble in the win. Graham, the starting point guard, sat much of the game, forcing Langrock to take over the ball-handing duties and navigate M-P’s press.

“Bryn did a great job playing out of position,” coach Jon Atkins said.

Jansen and Cortez also missed time because of fouls.

In all, 43 fouls were called in the game, 19 on Oak Harbor.

The Tomahawks made nine of 17 foul shots; the Wildcats hit only six of 18.

The game was the final home contest for five seniors: Aleizah Espiritu, Frye, Graham, Jansen and Langrock.

“They were freshmen when I first started coaching,” Atkins said. “They are the soul of our program — great people, great students, fun to be around. They definitely made my job easier.”