Klahowya welcomed the Coupeville High School boys basketball team to the Olympic League by edging the Wolves 57-55 in Coupeville Friday, Dec. 12.

The Eagles hit layup in the final seconds to pull out the win and earn their first victory of the season after four losses. Coupeville fell to 1-5 for the year.

The Wolves will play three nonleague games before returning Olympic League play. First they go to Orcas Island at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19. That will be followed by a game recently added to the schedule, a trip to Concrete at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30.

Klahowya led 14-13 after one quarter, then Coupeville built the game’s biggest lead, 26-18, midway through the second period.

The Eagles cut the gap to 30-27 at halftime and then regained the lead, 43-42, going into the last quarter.

Coupeville struggled early in the third period, so coach Anthony Smith said he “drained his bench,” adding the reserves “played well.”

In the fourth quarter, Smith went with a small lineup and received positive results. Coupeville took the lead, but several missed shots and two missed free throws late enabled the Eagles to slip away with the win.

Klahowya scored with 1.8 seconds left to go up by two, and Coupeville’s final desperation shot failed.

Aaron Trumbull scored 13 points for Coupeville; Dalton Martin 10; Joel Walstad nine; Ryan Griggs five; Wiley Hesselgrave, Aaron Curtin, Matt Shank and Gabe Wynn four; and Jared Helmstadter two.

Ricky Holguin scored 27 for the Eagles.

The teams combined to shoot 61 free throws, and both teams failed to take advantage. Coupeville hit only 16 of 29, while Klahowya connected on just 17 of 32.

After the loss the “the guys were upset in a good way,” Smith said.

“We will make some changes to improve and learn from the film,” Smith said. “We welcome the challenge.”