Since returning from an injury, Madeline Strasburg has been on a scoring tear. (John Fisken photo)
The first quarter was a killer.
With three-point bombs falling from every angle at a horrifying rate, the Coupeville High School girls’ basketball team found itself in a huge hole at Mount Vernon Christian Saturday.
The Hurricanes dropped six treys on the Wolves, including three straight from the same player, building a 24-11 lead.
Then, Coupeville clamped down on the outside shooters, charged back to tie the game in the fourth quarter and had a chance to win, only to have a huge disparity at the free throw line kill their final hope.
By the time the non-conference tilt came to an end, the Wolves were on the short end of a 50-46 score.
The loss dropped CHS to 8-5 on the season.
Four times this season the Wolves have won back-to-back games, but have yet to get that elusive third straight win and really kick-start a winning streak.
Coupeville will get a huge opportunity to do just that, or more, as they play their final seven games against their Olympic League rivals.
The Wolves are 2-0 in league play, while Port Townsend, Klahowya and Chimacum (which comes to Whidbey Jan. 21 to kick things off) are a combined 4-31 this season.
But, even as CHS dreams of netting a championship banner — which would be the first for any Wolf team in any sport since 2002 — the reality is this is a team fond of playing like they’re on a roller-coaster.
One moment screaming joyfully at the top, the next wildly out of control and plunging into the pits of despair.
“We need to understand that other teams are coming to play a full game and this is something we will emphasis moving forward,” Wolf coach David King said. “Our goal is to make districts, get through district play and move on to state. For this to happen, we need to correct some things.
“Teams will not roll over and just let us come out and win,” he added. “We need to get tougher mentally and continue to show the fight and positive energy we had for the final three quarters.”
Over the final 24 minutes, Coupeville outscored MVC 35-26, while holding them to just one additional three-pointer, eventually charging back to tie the game at the end of the third quarter.
Led by Makana Stone and her quick hands, the Wolves became a steal-happy team in the second half, setting up numerous breakaway layups.
With the score knotted up at 41 midway through the fourth, foul trouble finally took its toll on Coupeville, however, putting a crimp in the comeback hopes.
The Wolves lost two key post players, Julia Myers and Hailey Hammer, who both fouled out in the quarter.
Given a chance to parade to the foul line, the Hurricanes drained 12 of 16 free throws in the final quarter to ice the game.
Coupeville had its fair chance at the line, as well, but left too many points unrecorded, hitting on just 9 of 25 from the charity stripe during the game.
“Another good sign was attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line,” King said. “Now it’s knocking them down when we have the opportunity.”
Trailing by five, the Wolves made one final run with Madeline Strasburg nailing a three-point shot to slice the lead.
Coupeville went for the steal on the in-bounds play, but couldn’t get it and had to foul one final time. With just four ticks on the clock, the MVC shooter drained both attempts to seal the victory.
Stone paced the Wolves with 16 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and three assists while Strasburg pumped in 10 to go with her three assists and three steals.
Kacie Kiel and Myers both popped for eight, Hammer banged home three and Wynter Thorne slid a free throw through the twine to round out the scoring.
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