SEQUIM — The Sequim boys basketball team knew what was coming in its loser-out consolation semifinal at the Class 2A state tournament at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
The Wolves just couldn’t stop it.
Sequim’s improbable postseason run slid to a halt on Friday afternoon in a 48-30 loss to Olympic League rival North Mason.
North Mason mainstay Brett Skogstad drained five 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 20 points, while burly 6-foot-6 post John Fullington added 16 on 6-of-7 shooting to lead the co-league champions.
The Bulldogs (21-5 overall) beat Sequim (11-16) for the third time this year, eventually taking fifth place on Saturday with a 54-36 win over Quincy.
“They hadn’t shot the ball well all tournament, but we knew they had that capability,” Sequim coach Greg Glasser said after Friday’s loss.
“We talked about it, but when Skogstad starts pulling from 23 feet, you’re in for a long day.”
It also didn’t help that Sequim’s offense struggled to find its rhythm, especially in the last two quarters when it managed only nine points while hitting just 3-of-24 shots from the field.
This included a two-point fourth quarter when North Mason eventually pulled away.
“We got a little impatient at times,” Glasser said.
“We got to where we were feeling like, ‘OK, we’ve made 10 or 15 passes,’ or, ‘I haven’t had a shot in a little while.’
“We kind of reverted back to the almost the way we were playing last year.
“It was a little uncharacteristic of our guys.”
Late season success
Unselfish team basketball had been the hallmark of Sequim’s late season success.
Combined with its intense defensive effort, the Wolves were able to win three of four games to begin postseason play, qualifying for the state tournament despite finishing seventh in the Olympic League with a 7-13 regular season record.
They were able to tap into that intermittently during a 1-2 showing at state, most notably during Thursday’s 47-35 thrashing of Tumwater.
But the team didn’t quite have enough to overcome a talented Bulldogs squad.
“It’s disappointing,” Glasser said, “but at the same time, I’m not going to look back at this as their last game.
“I’m going to look at the overall performance of this year.
“They accomplished what nobody thought they could.
“If I would have said [before the season] we’re going to be in the state tournament in March, and we’re going to be playing on Friday, people would have laughed.
“I’m very proud of what they have done.
“All season long these kids have played together.
“That will take you a lot further than a state tournament.”
End of era
The loss marked the end of a brilliant three-year varsity career for senior Ary Webb.
Sequim’s long-range marksman, the team’s leading scorer this season, netted eight points in his last game while hitting just 3-of-13 from the field in his final game.
“I’m just glad my final game was in this building right here [the SunDome],” said Webb, who helped guide the Wolves to two state appearances in his three seasons in purple and gold.
“It means a lot just to be here. This is the best spot you can end.
“I’m kind of sad it’s over. But you’ve got to move on to bigger and better things.”
Junior wing John Textor grabbed six rebounds and three steals, but only managed one point in the loss.
The Wolves’ lanky slasher had been the tournament’s fourth leading scorer entering the third day at 17.0 points per game.
Yet he never got in the flow of the offense on Friday, hitting only 1-of-4 shots.
Ary’s freshman brother, Corbin Webb, added eight points, junior Clancy Catelli had six points and four rebounds, and senior post Taylor Thorson had five points and four rebounds.
Thorson is one of three graduating seniors along with Ary Webb and Reed Omdal.
“You never want to end it, but still for us to even get here [to state] and be able to experience it, win a game and get the opportunity to play again was just amazing,” Thorson said.
“I can’t say that I regret anything.”
Starting hot
Skogstad and an under-the-weather Fullington combined to score 16 of North Mason’s 20 first quarter points in Friday’s game, taking a 20-10 Bulldog lead after eight minutes of play.
North Mason pulled ahead by as many as 12 points in the second period before Sequim scored the last three points of the half to go into the break down 30-21.
Sequim battled back with a 7-4 edge in the third quarter, but failed to make a single field goal in the fourth as the Bulldogs ran away with the win.
“They played pretty good defense,” Thorson said.
“They got out on our shooters, made everything difficult and then they rebounded the ball, so one [shot] and done.
“That’s pretty much the story of the fourth quarter.”
Sequim sank only 11-of-47 shots from the field, while North Mason was 16-of-41 on its field goal attempts and 10-of-16 from the free throw line.
“We crept back in a little bit in the third quarter and had a shot, but offensively we just couldn’t make anything,” Glasser said.
“Our legs were maybe a little bit tired.
“We play only seven guys, so we just ran out of gas I guess.”
Considering where the Wolves started — picked to finish eighth in the Olympic League preseason coaches poll — finishing one game shy of a trophy wasn’t a bad place for the tank to run dry.
“It’s a testament to our coach for believing in us all the time,” Thorson said. “And it was just an awesome experience.”
North Mason 48, Sequim 30
North Mason 20 10 4 14 — 48
Sequim 10 11 7 2 — 30
Individual Scoring
North Mason (48)
Skogstad 20, Geyer 2, Guimont 7, Hannifious 2, Baker 1, Fullington 16.
Sequim (30)
C. Webb 8, Textor 2, Catelli 6, Oliver 1, Thorson 5, A. Webb 8.
