Unable to handle Chimacum’s press, the Coupeville High School girls basketball team lost 28-20 to the host Cowboys Wednesday, Jan. 10.

The Wolves, however, did pick up a win this week, coming from behind to beat visiting Port Townsend 40-39 Tuesday.

Chimacum’s win lifted the Cowboys (3-1, 6-7) into first place in the Olympic League, a half game over Port Townsend (3-2, 5-7). Coupeville (1-2, 3-10) is currently in third, followed by Klahowya (0-2, 2-10).

The Wolves play at Meridian (9-2) at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, in a non-league game before hosting Klahowya at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Coupeville 40, Port Townsend 39

The Redhawks held a slight lead most of the game, up 9-8 and 18-14 at the end of the first two quarters.

The lead was still 4, 24-20, with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter, then Coupeville scored the final 9 points of the period.

Kyla Briscoe got things going with a steal and hoop, then scored again after grabbing an offensive rebound. Chelsea Prescott tallied off a nice pass from Sarah Wright, and then Briscoe struck again, this time with a three-pointer that gave the Wolves a 29-24 lead at the quarter.

Ema Smith’s three-ball opened the fourth period. After a Cowboy bucket, Lindsey Roberts scored twice, first off a sharp pass from Scout Smith and then off an assist from Ema Smith. That gave Coupeville its biggest lead of the game, 36-26.

From there, the Wolves held on, withstanding two Redhawk scores in the final 19 seconds.

Roberts finished with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and only one turnover. Briscoe added eight points and five steals; and Wright had 4 points and six rebounds.

Ema Smith scored 7 points, Prescott 5, Scout Smith 4 and Hannah Davidson 2.

Kaitlyn Meek scored 14 points for Port Townsend.

Chimacum 28, Coupeville 20

You can’t score if you can’t get off shots, and Coupeville found that out as it suffered through 43 turnovers in the loss.

“Unreal and rough,” Coupeville coach David King said. “I think that’s the only way I can describe tonight’s game: unreal and so very rough.”

King labeled the Cowboys’ full-court press as “aggressive,” “good” and “relentless.”

However, the Wolves played so poorly, King added, his team made the press look better than it was.

“We wilted against everything they threw at us,” he said.

Coupeville’s offense struggled, but its defense kept it in the game until the fourth quarter when “our offense dried up completely,” King said.

The Wolves led 3-2 after the first period, 8-7 at the half and 20-19 going into the final frame. Coupeville came up empty in the fourth, putting a zero on the board.

King said most of the turnovers were “self inflicted.”

“(We were) throwing passes into defensive arms and hands,” he said. “(We were) over-throwing, throwing behind a teammate or trying to dribble-drive up the court out of control.”

The turnover bug bit most of the team, with six players committing five or more.

Roberts scored 7 points, Ema Smith 4, Briscoe 4, Davidson 2, Wright 2 and Scout Smith 1.

Roberts also collected 10 rebounds.

“It felt like she was all over the court for us,” King said.

Allison Wenzel, Davidson and Ema Smith each grabbed seven rebounds.

Ashlie Shank and Maddy Hilkey recorded their first varsity minutes for the Wolves.

Mia McNair scored 8 points to lead Chimacum.

Kyla Briscoe scores on a break-away after stealing a Port Townsend pass. (Photo by John Fisken)

Ema Smith hustles the ball up the court for the Wolves. (Photo by John Fisken)

Coupeville’s Scout Smith feeds the post during the Port Townsend game. (Photo by John Fisken)

Lindsey Roberts leads a fast break in the win over Port Townsend Tuesday. (Photo by John Fisken)