Hannah Davidson and her fellow seniors will get another game at home. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
CHS coach Scott Fox discusses strategy with his team.
They took a few shots to the rib cage, but are still standing.
The Coupeville High School girls basketball team absorbed a 61-15 loss at Nooksack Valley Monday in its district playoff opener, but lives to play another day.
Now 12-6 on the season, the Wolves, the #3 seed from the North Sound Conference, host Meridian (10-12) Tuesday in a loser-out game.
Tip-off is 7 PM.
The Trojans, the #4 team from the Northwest Conference, beat Sultan 65-34 in a play-in game Feb. 8, then were nipped 42-36 Monday by NSC #1 King’s.
A loss Tuesday in the CHS gym is a season-ender for either team, while the winner is guaranteed two more playoff games Feb. 13 and 15.
Win at least one of those two, and you advance on to bi-districts, a step away from the state tourney.
To see the playoff bracket, pop over to:
http://www.nscathletics.com/tournament.php?tournament_id=3214&sport=12
Monday night was a rematch, with Coupeville facing a team it lost to by 22 points in a non-conference game right before winter break.
Things were rougher this time around, as the Wolves fell behind 19-3 after the first eight minutes and never recovered.
A ball-hawking Nooksack defense pressured Coupeville into multiple turnovers and the Pioneers converted their extra chances into quick, game-busting buckets.
Up 34-9 at the half, the host team continued to stretch the lead out from there.
Holding Coupeville scoreless in the third quarter, Nooksack carried a 46-9 advantage into the final frame, then continued to run wild with its backups in the game.
The Pioneers finished with three players in double figures, led by McKenna Wichers, who banked in a game-high 14 points.
Kora Larsen and Maya Galley added 11 apiece.
“We ran into a buzz saw,” said CHS coach Scott Fox. “They played stifling defense and precision offense.
“It started off ugly and we couldn’t get anything started. Congrats to them!”
With the game out of control and another playoff bout hurtling towards them in less than 24 hours, Fox rested his starters early, giving his back-ups a chance to play quality minutes in the crucible.
Anya Leavell came off the bench to lead Coupeville’s scoring attack with eight points, while fellow sophomore Audrianna Shaw chipped in with four.
Tia Wurzrainer (2) and Avalon Renninger (1) also scored, while Scout Smith, Chelsea Prescott, Hannah Davidson, Mollie Bailey, Izzy Wells, Kylie Van Velkinburgh, Carolyn Lhamon, and Maddie Georges saw floor time for the Wolves.
Coupeville Sports 