The Mount Baker “Emily tandem” took turns terrorizing the Coupeville High School girls basketball team in the Mountaineers’ 59-44 win Monday, Dec. 8, in Coupeville.

The game was tied at 23 at halftime, then the Emilys took over.

Emily Brandland, a 5-11 post, scored 16 of Mount Baker’s 18 third-quarter points to push the Mountaineers ahead 41-33.

Emily Yost, also 5-11, scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to thwart a Coupeville comeback.

A change of strategy at halftime sparked Mount Baker. The Mountaineers fired away from the outside in the first half with sporadic success, then started pounding the ball inside after the break.

Mount Baker (3-1) controlled the second half, but Coupeville did put a scare in the Mountaineers late in the game.

Down 50-35, Coupeville went on an 9-2 run to get within eight. First Wynter Thorne scored, then Mia Littlejohn hit a hoop. Thorne scored again off an assist from Makana Stone, and Stone followed with a three-point play.

A bucket by Brandland and three free throws by Yost sealed the win for Mount Baker.

Brandland finished with 24 points; Yost had 22. Only two other Mountaineers scored.

Coupeville trailed 12-7 after one quarter, then seven Wolves scored in a 16-point second period to even the game at the half.

Stone led Coupeville with 11 points; Littlejohn had nine; Thorne eight; Julia Myers, Kacie Kiel and Monica Vidoni four each; and McKenzie Bailey and Hailey Hammer two.

Coach David King said one of the positives in the loss was the play of freshman Littlejohn, who has helped pick up the slack with starting guard Madeline Strasburg out with a knee injury.

Coupeville (2-2) opens league play at Klahowya (0-3) at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12.

(McKenzie Bailey flies up the sideline for the Wolves. Photo by Jim Waller.)