Senior Night, the final basketball game of the season, is always an emotional time for players who realize they will never be donning a high school basketball uniform ever again.
On Thursday four Oak Harbor seniors, Dallas Heidt, Caleb Koorn, James Leach and Marshall Lobbestael put on the purple and gold for the last time as they took the court against Marysville-Pilchuck.
The Tomahawks were a formidable opponent to face as Marysville-Pilchuck entered the game in second place in the WesCo North with a 12-3 league record and were anticipating being the No.-2 seed in the upcoming district playoffs.
That was before the team stepped on the hardwood floor at the Wildcats’ house.
Trailing 33-26 at halftime, Oak Harbor scored 50 points in the final two quarters and then outscored the Tomahawks 12-9 in overtime to end the season with a thrilling 88-85 victory.
“This is the best game I have ever been in either as a player or as a coach,” an emotional coach Mike Washington said after the game. “Tonight was the best we’ve played all season, no question about it. This year was a better season than in years past and the best season Oak Harbor has had in the last four years.”
Marysville-Pilchuck dominated the action early in the contest, mainly due to out rebounding the Wildcats at both ends of the floor.
Combine that with the Wildcats’ poor shooting and the Tomahawks were able to take a 15-11 lead after the first eight minutes of action.
The shooting didn’t get any better for Oak Harbor in the second period and it was at the 3:32 mark before the Wildcats hit their first basket from the floor when Rodrick Rumble knocked down a shot.
At halftime, Washington got things squared away with his troops and the Wildcats came out on fire.
Lobbestael scored eight points including a pair of three-point baskets in the third period and Leach, Heidt and Eric McCardle each hit one from beyond the arc as Oak Harbor came roaring back with 24 points to tie the score 50-50 heading into the final quarter.
“Everyone played really good tonight,” Lobbestael said. “We played good defense and that allowed us to get out and run some. We were able to get some second looks and kick the ball out.”
Lobbestael was one of four players in double figures for the Wildcats with 19 points.
In the final period, the lead changed hands several times and it took a dramatic three-point basket by Marysville-Pilchuck’s Nathan Lozeau with four seconds showing on the clock to tie the score 76-76, and send the game into overtime.
Leach got hot at the start of the four-minute overtime period hitting a pair of three-point bombs to put the Wildcats in front to stay.
“During the regular time in the game I didn’t think I scored that much. In overtime, I just got hot and shots started falling for me,” he said.
Leach finished the game with 25 points.
Free throw shooting played a big part in the Wildcats’ victory and Rumble hit four from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter and two more in overtime.
“It was a good game and all the seniors really stepped up,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to next season. It was a great win for Oak Harbor and God helped us out there tonight.”
Rumble finished with a team-high 26 points and was 10 for 14 from the free throw line.
“All the seniors had a great game and the guys just played with their hearts and did so well tonight,” Washington said. “This was an outstanding way to end the season. There were a lot of people in the stands and when the fans get behind you, can do great things.”
Heidt was the fourth Oak Harbor player in double figures with 13 points.
The Wildcats finish the season 9-11 overall and 7-9 in the league.
Lozeau led the Tomahawks with a game-high 32 points. Teammates Jared Stohl and Nate Holthenrichs hit for 16 points each.
Oak Harbor 88,
Marysville-Pilchuck 85 OT
M-P 15 18 17 26 9 — 85
Oak Harbor 11 15 24 26 12 — 88
MP (85) — Lozeau 13 5-8 32, Stohl 5 3-4 16, Holthenrichs 6 2-3 16, Holm 3 0-0 5, Moser 1 0-0 2, Clark 0 0-0 0, Fidrich 0 0-0 0, Lanphere 1 0-0 2, Thomason 0 2-4 2, Stell 0 0-0 0, Stevens 4 0-0 8. Totals 33 12-19 85.
Oak Harbor (88) — Rumble 8 10-14 25, Leach 8 5-6 25, Lobbestael 6 4-5 19, Heidt 5 0-1 13, Koorn 1 0-0 2, McCardle 1 0-0 3, Bell 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 9-26 88.
Three-point goals — M-P 7 (Stohl 3, Holthenrichs 2, Lozeau, Holm); Oak Harbor 11 (Leach 4, Heidt 3, Lobbestael 3, McCardle).
