PORT TOWNSEND — The Chimacum Cowboys defeated rival Port Townsend 51-48 to move within one game of clinching the Olympic League 1A championship.
Chimacum next faces Klahowya on Tuesday on the road. The Cowboys (5-1, 6-10) already have a one-game lead over the Eagles (4-2, 5-11) in league play with three games left.
The teams have split their two previous meetings this season, so a win would give Chimacum a two-game lead and the tiebreaker advantage with two games to play.
In Friday’s win over the Redhawks, the Cowboys suffered through a foul-plagued first half but only trailed by one point, 22-21, at halftime.
Eleven of Port Townsend’s 22 points came at the free-throw line. The Redhawks were shooting in the double bonus while only being whistled for three fouls of their own.
“I told the kids at halftime: A lot of times this swings the other way,” Chimacum coach Jim Eldridge said.
Sure enough, the Cowboys shot 12 free throws to Port Townsend’s two in the second half. It didn’t help much, though, because Chimacum only made 5 of 14 free throws in the game, compared to the Redhawks’ 13 of 17.
What did help the Cowboys was working the ball into the post to Brendan Naylor and Orion Weller.
Naylor was particularly effective in the second half, tallying 14 of his team-high 18 points. Weller added 17 points in the game.
“It wasn’t our best game, but we pulled it off,” Eldridge said.
Port Townsend’s Chris Adkins led all scorers with 22 points, while Detrius Kelsall had 10 and Patrick Charlton added nine.
The Redhawks, who helped Chimacum by defeating Klahowya last week, host Coupeville on Tuesday.
Port Townsend (2-4, 2-14) currently hold a one-game lead over the Wolves (1-5, 5-11) for the Olympic League 1A Division’s third and final postseason bid.
Chimacum 51, Port Townsend 48
Chimacum 9 12 13 17— 51
Port Townsend 8 14 14 12— 48
Individual scoring
Chimacum (51)
Bainbridge 5, Hitt 2, Koenig 5, Weller 17, Carthum 4, Naylor 18, Dotson, Hundley, Dowling, Porter.
Port Townsend (48)
Atkins 22, Kelsall 10, Easley 2, Charlton 9, Parcher 5, Dances, Ralls, Sua, Hill, Mason.
Hoquiam 74, Forks 64
HOQUIAM — A strong first quarter and 20-point scoring efforts by Colton Raben and Parker Browning weren’t enough for the Spartans to pull off their second Evergreen League upset of the week after defeating Tenino on Monday.
Forks led the Grizzlies 22-16 after one quarter, but was outscored 19-11 in the second.
“We attacked the hoop, we moved the ball well in the first quarter, then we kind of got away from that, we settled for a lot of jump shots,” Spartans coach Rick Gooding said following Friday’s game.
“We came out guns-blazing the first quarter, really played well. We just didn’t make shots in the second quarter.
“We were a little hesitant, which was weird because we came out so strong in the first quarter.”
Raben led all scorers with 28 points, while Browning finished with 23.
Jack Adams paced Hoquiam (8-4, 11-7) with 25 points, highlighted by a big third quarter, and Jace Varner had 15.
Forks (2-11, 3-13) closes out its season with three games this week, beginning with Clallam Bay on Monday at home for senior night.
Then the Spartans play at Neah Bay (11-2) on Tuesday and at Montesano (4-8, 8-10) on Friday.
Hoquiam 74, Forks 64
Forks 22 11 14 17— 64
Hoquiam 16 19 20 19— 74
Individual scoring
Forks (64)
Raben 28, Ramsey 3, Tejano 4, Pegram 2, Browning 23, Adams 6, Baysinger, Palmer.
Hoquiam (74)
Spradlin 6, Steen 12, Adams 25, Varner 15, Ko. Standistipher 11, Anderson 5.
Neah Bay 61, Crescent 14
NEAH BAY — The third-ranked Red Devils remained undefeated in North Olympic League play by defeating the Loggers at home.
Jericho McGimpsey led Neah Bay with 10 points and eight rebounds, while Jongi Claplanhoo had nine points and seven boards and Chris Martinez and Zach Dulik added seven points apiece.
Dulik also had five rebounds and two steals.
Ryan Moss dished out a team-high five assists for the Red Devils.
Ole Nedderhoff was the only Neah Bay player to not score, but he grabbed four rebounds and blocked three shots.
KC Spender topped Crescent with five points and Cody Wolfer contributed three.
The Loggers play at the Port Angeles C team on Monday before hosting Clallam Bay on Wednesday for senior night.
Neah Bay (11-2), meanwhile, next plays at home against Forks (3-13) on Tuesday.
Neah Bay 61, Crescent 14
Crescent 2 0 7 5— 14
Neah Bay 20 17 12 12— 61
Individual scoring
Crescent (14)
Spencer 5, Wolfer 3, Waldrip 2, Peppard 2, McNeece 2.
Neah Bay (61)
Buzzell 2, Johnson 3, Venske 6, McGimpsey 10, Claplanhoo 9, Doherty 6, Martinez 7, Moss 3, Dulik 7, Munyagi 4, Buttram 4 Nedderhoff.
Girls Basketball
Port Townsend 43, Chimacum 39
PORT TOWNSEND — Freshman Kaitlyn Meek tied her season-high with 24 points, including a game-sealing free-throw with 6.1 seconds left to lift the Redhawks over the Cowboys.
“We started slow and Chimacum had success extending their zone and forcing us into traps in bad spots on the court,” Port Townsend coach Jeanne King said.
“We were able to get more ball movement and Kaitlyn started to hit some shots during the second quarter.”
Port Townsend’s (2-4, 2-14) win moved it past Chimacum into third place the Olympic League 1A standings, and evened the season series at 1-1.
The top three teams advance to postseason play.
“We put in a zone press on them that forced some turnovers, and Chimacum had some unforced turnovers, too,” King said.
Frances Sheldon O’Neal added nine points for Port Townsend.
The Redhawks visit Coupeville on Tuesday.
Kiersten Snyder led the Cowboys with 13 points.
Chimacum (1-4, 2-13) hosts Klahowya on Tuesday.
The two rivals will play for the Janelle Perillo Memorial Traveling Trophy at Chimacum on Monday, Feb. 9.
Port Townsend 43, Chimacum 39
Chimacum 11 3 11 14— 39
Port Townsend 6 14 10 13— 44
Individual scoring
Chimacum (39)
Snyder 13, M Nisbet 11, Cerna 2, Yaley 4, Castillo 2, McKinley 2, Richey 2, S. Nisbet 4. .
Port Townsend (43)
Meek 24, Sheldon O’Neal 9, Snyder 5, Olin 3, King 2
Neah Bay 64, Crescent 12
NEAH BAY — The Red Devils continued their unbeaten season with a rout of the Loggers.
Kaela Tyler had a big all-around game for Neah Bay, racking up 15 points with 10 rebounds, seven steals and five assists.
Faye Chartraw added 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Red Devils, while Blaire Hill had 12 points and nine boards, Hailey Greene had seven steals and two points and Holly Greene had eight points and seven rebounds.
Lauren Hartley and Hailey Holgerson accounted for Crescent’s scoring with six points apiece.
The Loggers face the Port Angeles C team on Monday before finishing their season at home against Clallam Bay on Wednesday.
Neah Bay (12-0) hosts Forks (2-15) on Tuesday.
Neah Bay 64, Crescent 12
Crescent 2 6 0 4— 12
Neah Bay 20 14 22 8— 64
Individual scoring
Crescent (12)
Hartley 6, Holgerson 6, Lester, Belford, Westfall, Casad, Hutto, McGowan.
Neah Bay (64)
Ha. Greene 2, J. Greene 6, Ho. Greene 8, Tyler 15, Chartraw 16, Jimmicum 5, Hill 12.
Quilcene 59, Seattle Lutheran 47
QUILCENE — The Rangers moved into a three-way tie for first place in the SeaTac League by defeating the Saints.
Quilcene (4-4, 12-6) is now square with Seattle Lutheran (4-4, 5-11) and Muckleshoot (4-4, 5-5) heading into the final week of the season.
Senior Sammy Rae led the Rangers in Friday’s win with 11 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals.
Megan Weller scored 24 points and had six assists, Allison Jones’ long-distance shooting led to 13 points, and freshman Katie Love added seven points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
“We really put together an excellent game against a highly skilled and well-coached team,” Rangers coach Megan Weller said.
“Our younger players are really starting to mature and make their presence felt, especially in the paint.
“We were able to limit the Saints’ inside game through the tenacious defense of Sammy Rae, Katie Love, and Kaitlyn and Emily Hitt.
“Allison Jones had another incredible night from the 3 point line and Megan Weller was able to drive to the middle and score at will.
“Kaitlyn Hitt and Hannah Williams played tough as well.”
Quilcene has two crucial back-to-back league games Monday and Tuesday against Puget Sound Adventist (0-7, 0-8) at home and third-place Mount Rainier Lutheran (6-2, 11-5) on the road.
Quilcene 59, Seattle Lutheran 47
Seattle Lutheran 14 9 12 12— 47
Quilcene 13 19 19 8— 59
Individual scoring
Quilcene (59)
Rae 11, Weller 24, Jones 13, Love 7, E. Hitt 4, K. Hitt, Williams.
