PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Mariners lose heartbreaker in double overtime

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Mariners lose heartbreaker in double overtime
Correspondent - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

MOUNT VERNON - Whether it's deflecting a pass or diving on the floor for a loose ball, all year long Sehome head coach A.J. LaBree has preached to his players the importance of winning inches. On Wednesday, Feb. 16, with Sehome's season on the line, the inches went Anacortes' way.

Anacortes, or more realistically, Anacortes guard Jackson Kirkpatrick, ended Sehome's season in a heartbreaking 95-89 double overtime loss in the semifinal round of the consolation bracket in the Class 2A District 1 Boys Basketball Tournament.

"We had some great close games this season, but this one had to be one of wildest," LaBree said. "Both teams just went back-and-forth, hitting big shot after big shot."

Trailing most of the game, Sehome gained its first lead since the first quarter with 4:17 left in the final frame. A combination of buckets by Sehome guard Geordie Marriner and forwards Colin Peterson and Kevin Virk gave the Mariners a 69-62 advantage, in what seemed to be a comfortable lead with 50 seconds left.

Then Kirkpatrick became the most disliked person at Sehome High School.

Kirkpatrick, who scored a game-high 38 points, converted back-to-back-to-back 3s, while Sehome shot just 8 of 16 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, including four missed free throws in the final minute.

Kirkpatrick's final 3-pointer came with seven seconds left in regulation and tied the game 71-71. Sehome settled for a failed deep 3-pointer by John Albert, which sent the game into the first overtime.
In a tough, physical game, Sehome was left with only a fraction of its starters throughout both overtime periods, as Marriner, Peterson, Albert and Danny Stonedahl all fouled out before the game ended.

"If we would have had one more of our guys foul out, we would have been playing with our JV squad," LaBree said. "The guys we had in at the end are capable players, but it hurt not having four of our starting seniors."

The first overtime went back-and-forth and with Sehome up 80-79, Anacortes held possession of the ball with six seconds left.

Kirkpatrick took the ball coast-to-coast and was fouled on a layup attempt with one tenth of a second left on the clock. Kirkpatrick made the first and with an opportunity to win, he missed his first free throw of the game in 11 prior successful attempts to send the game into a second overtime.
The second overtime belonged to Anacortes as Kirkpatrick dazzled once more, scoring nine of Anacortes' 15 second overtime points.

Albert and Virk both played big minutes for Sehome. Virk finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Albert scored a team-high 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, as well.

For the Northwest Conference champions, it was a bitter ending to a brilliant season.

"Our guys are a true team," LaBree said. "There's not one guy on our team who'd put anyone above anyone else. Our seniors won their league when they played C team, JV and now varsity. It's just not how our guys wanted to go out."

ANACORTES 95, SEHOME 89 (2OT)
Sehome    17    11    21    22 9 9    -    89
Anacortes    17    20    16    18 9 15    -    95
Sehome: Geordie Marriner 17, Danny Stonedahl 13, Colin Peterson 11, Konstantin Andrushenko 0, Charlie Linneman 6, Noah Cyr-Moore 0, Kevin Virk 18, Titi Lamositele 0, John Albert 20, Gabe Sanchez 4. Team totals: 30-63 23-34 89.
Anacortes: Shane Hardesty 7, Jackson Kirkpatrick 38, Matt Welliver 12, A.J. Yost 4, Justin Hansen 0, Sam D'Amelio 3, Tyler Hayes 12, Mark Medalia 9, Billy King 2. Team totals: 28-65 26-40 95.
3-ptg: Sehome 6 (Albert 4), Anacortes 12 (Kirkpatrick 6). Rebounds: Sehome 35 (Virk/Albert 11), Anacortes 22 (Medalia 5). Assists: Sehome 7 (Peterson 3), Anacortes 5 (Kirkpatrick 2). Fouls: Sehome 28 (Marriner/Stonedahl/Virk/Albert), Anacortes 26 (Hardesty/Hayes/Medalia). Turnovers: Sehome 14, Anacortes 8.

Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/02/16/1872241/prep-boys-basketball-mariners.htm

Storm over Mariners

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Pierce's 3-pointer gives Squalicum another state tournament trip
DAVID RASBACH - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

MOUNT VERNON - The names and faces might be new, but the result is the same - the Squalicum boys' basketball team is headed to the Class 2A State Tournament.
The past two years, the Storm relied heavily on graduated stars such as Patrick Voeut, Keith Stackhouse and Derek Dickerson to win back-to-back state championships.
Now there's a whole new group of heroes wearing Squalicum blue and silver - players like junior Neilan Pierce.
   
Pierce hit a game-winning 3-pointer on Monday, Feb. 14, with 1.8 seconds remaining in a Class 2A Northwest District Tournament semifinal showdown with crosstown rival Sehome, breaking a tied game and giving the Storm a wild 48-45 victory at Mount Vernon High School.
"I was just thinking don't miss," Pierce said after being mobbed on the floor by classmates.
He didn't, and Squalicum (15-7), which has won 17 straight postseason games, can now prepare for the new regional format to the state tournament that the WIAA adopted this year. But first, the Storm will face Burlington-Edison for the 2A district title for the third straight year at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, at Mount Vernon High School.
With the regional format, that game takes on greater importance, as the winner will get the district's top seed and will play at Stanwood High School. The loser of the district title game will have to travel to Mount Tahoma High School.
With the loss, Sehome (18-4) drops into the consolation bracket and will have to face Anacortes in a 6 p.m. elimination game on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at Mount Vernon. The winner of that game then must win again to earn the district's third and final berth to state.
Squalicum also avenged a 57-50 loss to Sehome one week earlier that ended up clinching the Northwest Conference crown for the Mariners.
"I'm so proud of this team and the effort they have displayed," Squalicum coach Dave Dickson said. "Early on in the year, some teams took advantage of our inexperience and won some games in the fourth quarter. But this team has learned how to play good at the end of games against quality opponents like Sehome."
Pierce is actually making a habit out of it.
He hit a similar game-winning shot in a one-point victory over Anacortes only 10 days earlier.
"Neilan's the type of guy that performs best under pressure," Dickson said. "I guess there was just enough pressure for him tonight."
Actually, his teammates have seen him performing well in practice, too.
"Neilan is unbelievable," said fellow Storm junior Christopher Qualls Jr., who turned in game highs with 19 points and 10 rebounds Monday. "This is the second time he's done it. Then in practice this week, he was taking all these crazy shots and making them."
Obviously, none of them measured up to the one he made Monday.
After jumping out to a 14-8 lead in the first quarter, Squalicum watched the Mariners get hot and take a 24-18 lead into halftime. The Storm managed to cut their deficit to 34-33 by the end of the third and took the lead less than a minute into the fourth on a 3-pointer by Joseph Chunphakvenn.
Squalicum still led 42-40, when Colin Peterson hit Sehome's first 3 of the game from just left of the top of the key to make it 43-42 with 41 seconds to play.
Jeremy King answered off an assist from Pierce with a 3 of his own from the right wing to put the Storm back on top 43-40 with 20 seconds to play.
Then it was Sehome's turn to make a big shot, as Geordie Marriner hit a short jumper with 9 seconds left to tie it at 45 for Sehome, setting up Pierce's heroics.
"I saw him (Pierce) hit the game-winner against Anacortes, so I didn't feel too good when I saw the ball leave his hand," Sehome coach A.J. LaBree said. "I wanted to get a timeout after our last bucket, but I didn't get it, and so the kids just had to play and react, and Squalicum got a good look for a good shooter, and he knocked it down. It's a great shot to take, because you either get to be the hero, or the game goes to overtime. Those are fun shots to take."
As if knocking down the big 3 wasn't enough, Pierce, who finished with eight points after he came off the bench to replace Zerek Csolti when he went down in the first quarter with an apparent ankle injury, then stole John Albert's court-length baseball pass to secure the victory.
"We just did what we had to do and not worry about anything else," Pierce said.
Though Pierce's shot proved to be the difference in the game, Squalicum won the game on the glass, out-rebounding Sehome, which was without usual starting center Charlie Linneman who was out with the flu, 38-25.
"That says a lot to outrebound a physical team like Sehome," Dickson said. "That shows the supreme effort our guys gave tonight."
Sehome was led by Danny Stonedahl's 14 points and eight each from Marriner and Albert. Kevin Virk also showed good hustle with four steals and two blocked shots.
Chunphakvenn joined Qualls in double figures with 10 points for Squalicum and added four steals, while King finished with seven points.
Along with Pierce, those players look forward to staring to build their own legacy at the state tournament next week.
"We're a young team, but we've got a great opportunity to go back to state," Qualls said. "We've got a chance to show that we're still a good team, even after all those other guys left."
Reach David Rasbach at david.rasbach@bellinghamherald.com or 360-715-2271.

SQUALICUM 48, SEHOME 45
Sehome    14    4    15    15    -    48
Squalicum    8    16    10    11    -    45
Squalicum: Blake Youtsey 0, Travis Kurtz 2, Bryce Dickerson 0, Zerek Csolti 2, Joseph Chunphakvenn 10, Jeremy King 7, Christopher Qualls Jr. 19, Neilan Pierce 8. Team totals: 15-46 12-14 48.
Sehome: Geordie Marriner 8, Danny Stonedahl 14, Colin Peterson 9, Konstantin Andrushenko 0, Kevin Virk 4, Titi Lamositele 0, John Albert 8, Gabe Sanchez 2, Jake Lester 0. Team totals: 20-51 4-10 45.
3-ptg: Squalicum 6 (Chunphakvenn 2, Pierce 2), Sehome 1 (Pierce 1). Rebounds: Squalicum 38 (Qualls 10), Sehome 25 (Marriner 6). Assists: Squalicum 7 (Pierce 3), Sehome 2 (Peterson, Virk). Fouls: Squalicum 8, Sehome 11 (Virk fouled out). Turnovers: Squalicum 14, Sehome 11.


Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/02/14/1868356/prep-boys-basketball-pierces-3.html

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Sehome edges Lynden in district opener

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Sehome edges Lynden in district opener
JOE SUNNEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

BELLINGHAM - No one is going to accuse the Sehome boys' basketball team of playing picture-perfect basketball.

But if they keep defending the way they did Friday, Feb. 11, and hitting timely shots then ugly is going to do just fine in the postseason.

Sehome's John Albert hit a long 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter to gave his team a spark, and the Mariners did just enough down the stretch to hold off Lynden 49-43 at home in the opening round of the Class 2A Northwest District Tournament.

The win sets up a rematch for Sehome (18-3) with city rival Squalicum on Monday, Feb. 14, at Mount Vernon High School with a trip to state on the line. Lynden (15-7) falls into the consolation bracket where it will meet Archbishop Murphy in a loser-out game at Skagit Valley College on Monday.
One win away from reaching state and the Northwest Conference champions are still happy being an underdog in a lot of people's eyes.

"No one expected us to be this great," senior Colin Peterson said. "We just have a good group of guys who have worked hard our whole lives basically. We're senior heavy and we've learned that working together is a lot better than having a powerhouse game."

The Mariners certainly looked the part of a group playing selfless basketball against Lynden. Sehome used its pressure defense to stymie the Lions in the first quarter as both teams played to a 6-6 tie, and then rallied from a 17-8 hole midway through the second quarter.

"They do a really good job of pressing as a way of business," Lynden coach Brian Roper said. "They're a senior heavy team, that's what they do, and I'd like to have some of those turnovers back."

Without a go-to player on the roster, the Mariners simply exchanged big shots amongst their players on the floor. Geordie Marriner scored seven points in the quarter to keep Sehome in the game then it closed the half with six straight points, including a follow tip-in by Albert at the buzzer, to take a 25-24 lead.

"The guys are playing really confident right now," Sehome coach AJ LaBree said. "They're comfortable with what we do. We have an identity and that really speaks to the seniors on this squad. We don't go into any game thinking we're going to blow somebody out, and we don't go in

to any game thinking we're going to get blown out. We just play hard and do our business."

In the third quarter it was Danny Stonedahl and Peterson who stepped up. Peterson knocked down a 3-pointer early to give Sehome a 30-26 advantage, and Stonedahl made a pair of circus shots late to keep it a two-possession game.

Peterson had 15 points to lead all scorers and Albert added 11. Josh Kraght and Jake DeWitt each had 11 to lead the Lions.

Sehome started the fourth quarter with five straights points, but couldn't put Lynden away. Kraght and DeWitt scored five points of their own to pull Lynden to 42-38 with four minutes to play. After Stonedahl pushed the lead back out to seven with a three, Kraght answered to make it 45-41 with just over a minute play.

The Lions wouldn't get any closer.

"It's always been a pretty big rivalry against Lynden," Peterson said. "We're both pretty even teams. We both have good athletes, and we're both physical. So it really brings it up to speed when you're going against someone that's about at your capabilities."

Now the Mariners face the two-time defending Class 2A state champion Storm in what's sure to be an interesting game. Sehome edged Squalicum on Monday, Feb. 7 in the final game of the regular season, but lost to the Storm in December.

"We wanted to beat Lynden any way we could because they are such a good team," LaBree said. "Now we get Squalicum. The teams from the Northwest Conference are going to make us earn it. Is it what you want all the time? No. I'd like to be playing a team that's 0-20, but that's not the way it works this time of year."

SEHOME 49, LYNDEN 43
Lynden    6 18 9 10 - 43
Sehome 6 19 12 12 - 49
Lynden: Jake DeWitt 11, Josh Kraght 11, Zach Vis 2, John Shine 0, Dak Shagren 9, Sunni Schoepe 4, Nate Wielenga 5, Matt Meyer 1. Team totals: 15-45 9-10 43.
Sehome: Geordie Marriner 9, Danny Stonedahl 8, Colin Peterson 15, Charlie Linneman 0, Kevin Virk 4, Titi Lamositele 2, John Albert 11, Gabe Sanchez 0. Team totals: 16-45 10-14 49.
3-ptg: Lynden 4 (Kraght 3), Sehome 4 (Marriner, Stonedahl, Peterson, Albert). Rebounds: Lynden N/A, Sehome N/A. Assists: Lynden N/A, Sehome N/A. Fouls: Lynden 14 (none), Sehome 14 (None). Turnovers: Lynden N/A, Sehome N/A.


Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/02/11/1863637/prep-boys-basketball-sehome-edges.html

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Sehome tops Squalicum, clinches league crown

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Sehome tops Squalicum, clinches league crown
MICHELLE NOLAN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

BELLINGHAM - Kevin Virk says Sehome's boys' basketball team, "can't get too happy."
Even so, for a time after Sehome's historic 57-50 Northwest Conference victory over visiting Squalicum on Monday night, Feb. 7, the Mariners couldn't be blamed for being delirious with joy.
The victory not only gave Sehome (17-3, 11-2 NWC) the No. 1 seed and a home opener on Friday, Feb. 11, at the Class 2A Northwest District Tournament because the Mariners hold the tie-breaker over Burlington-Edison (17-3, 11-2), but also a league championship. Burlington fell to Mount Vernon 70-56 on Monday.

"We still have to take care of business," said Virk, an intense guard/forward who seemed to be everywhere on the court where he was needed most in his best game.

Perhaps even more significantly from Sehome's standpoint, the win represented the Bellingham city championship, which really means something in this town.

"Sehome hasn't beaten Squalicum in a long, long time," said Mariners coach A.J. LaBree. "It's been more than 20 games in league, non-league, district, everything. The last Sehome coach to beat Squalicum was Pat Fitterer and I'm the fourth coach since he left."

Two-time defending state and district champion Squalicum (13-7, 10-3) will open district play on the road Friday.

The Mariners won pretty much the same way they have all season - with offensive balance and a sticky zone defense that forced the Storm to battle hard and pass often for nearly every shot.

On a night the Mariners honored their seven seniors in a pre-game ceremony, it was fitting that five of them combined for 43 points, including 12 apiece from guards Geordie Marriner and Danny Stonedahl and 11 from Kevin Virk, who started against the Storm but has been sixth man this season. Virk, with 10 rebounds, said it was his first career double-double.

The Mariners opened with a 9-0 run and began the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run, giving Sehome a 47-38 lead, but the Storm wouldn't quit, in large part thanks to junior guard Zerek Csolti.
Csolti, who finished with 22 points, had 12 in the fourth quarter while shooting 4 for 4 with three 3-pointers in the final period to pull the Storm within 50-47 with a little more than one minute remaining.

Virk, though, found Marriner with a pass for a fast break layup with 1:02 left. Marriner then hit a free throw and made a steal to set up John Albert's two game-clinching free throws for a 55-47 lead with 29 seconds left. After Csolti hit his last three, Virk's two free throws with 12 seconds remaining removed any hope of a Squalicum miracle.

Albert, who has enjoyed outstanding success in baseball, was thrilled to see how well his fellow seniors have developed in basketball.

"We won the C league and the JV league, but we didn't do so well as juniors (when they lost the district play-in game)," said Albert, who finished with 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. "But, oh yes, it's a shock (to win a league title) because it's a whole new level. We were hoping to make district."

Sophomore guard Gabe Sanchez, who has played primarily junior varsity minutes, gave the Mariners a huge second-quarter lift with a pair of 3-pointers and a nice pass for a bucket by fellow sophomore Titi Lamositele, giving Sehome a 28-25 halftime lead.

Storm seniors Travis Kurtz and Jeremy King and juniors Joseph Chunphakvenn and Christopher Qualls combined for 26 points to support Csolti, but Sehome's depth ultimately prevailed as senior Colin Peterson and sophomore Charlie Linneman contributed.

"This means everything to us," Stonedahl said. "We (the seniors) haven't ever seen a victory over Squalicum here.

"We're not the most talented group of players, but we really do play as a team," he said. "Geordie Marriner did a good job as our leader tonight. He kept his composure."

SEHOME 57, SQUALICUM 50
Squalicum    8    17    11    14    -    50
Sehome    11    17    9    20    -    57
Squalicum: Zerek Csolti 22, Joseph Chunphakvenn 4, Jeremy King 7, Travis Kurtz 8, Christopher Qualls 7, Neilan Pierce 2, Trevor Herndon 0. Team totals: 15-42 14-24 50.
Sehome: Geordie Marriner 12, Danny Stonedahl 12, Kevin Virk 11, Colin Peterson 3, John Albert 7, Charlie Linneman 2, Titi Lamositele 4, Gabe Sanchez 6. Team totals: 21-41 11-17 57.
3-ptg: Squalicum 5 (Csolti 3); Sehome 6 (Sanchez 2). Rebounds: Squalicum 32 (King, Qualls, Kurtz 7); Sehome 28 (Virk 10, Albert 10). Assists: Squalicum 9 (Chunphakvenn 4); Sehome 9 (Marriner, Stonedahl 3). Total fouls: Squalicum 15, Sehome 21.


Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/02/07/1856213/prep-boys-basketball-sehome-tops.html

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Marriner's career night leads Sehome past Ferndale

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Marriner's career night leads Sehome past Ferndale
Sports Desk - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Geordie Marriner scored a career-high 18 points and the Sehome boys' basketball team beat Ferndale 61-43 in Northwest Conference action Thursday, Feb. 3, at Ferndale.

The win improved the Mariners to 16-3 overall and 10-2 in NWC while the Golden Eagles dropped to 5-14, 3-9 NWC.
Sehome coach A.J. LaBree credited Marriner, the team's point guard, as the difference in the game.

"As a point guard for our team, he did a good job of controlling the game for us," LaBree said in a phone interview.

Sehome outscored Ferndale 16-9 in the first quarter and 24-11 in the second quarter to hold a commanding 40-20 halftime lead. John Albert scored 11 points, Kevin Virk had nine points and Colin Peterson added eight points for the Mariners.

Ferndale was led by Jake Schroeder's 11 points.

Up next for Sehome is a pivotal game against visiting Squalicum on Monday, Feb. 7, to end the regular season. The Storm (12-6, 9-2 NWC) and Mariners could be playing for first or second place in the NWC 2A and chance to host a postseason game.

"It has huge playoff implications," LaBree said. "It's a big game."

SEHOME 61, FERNDALE 43
Sehome    16    24    14    7    -    61
Ferndale    9    11    7    16    -    43
Sehome: Geordie Marriner 18, Danny Stonedahl 4, Jake Slesk 0, Colin Peterson 8, Konstantin Andrushenko 0, Charlie Linneman 2, Noah Cyr-Moore 0, Kevin Virk 9, Titi Lamositele 2, John Albert 11, Gabe Sanchez 5, Jake Lester 2, Tim Elliott 0, Jake Schacht 0.
Ferndale: Aiden Sands 0, Conor Ford 0, Cody Mason 5, Chad Hunt 5, Jake Frost 3, Kendall Kelly 8, Caleb Rodriguez 6, Jake Schroeder 11, Daniel Canzater 5.
3-ptg: Sehome 8 (Marriner 3, Albert 3), Ferndale 4 (Kelly 2). Rebounds: Sehome 32, Ferndale 34. Fouls: Sehome 12, Ferndale 12. Turnovers: Sehome 5, Ferndale 25.


Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/02/03/1850462/prep-boys-basketball-marriners.html

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Mariners rally in second half to beat Bulldogs by 1-point

PREP BOYS' BASKETBALL: Mariners rally in second half to beat Bulldogs by 1-point.

Sports Desk - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

The Sehome boys' basketball team trailed by 14 points at halftime and rallied in the second half to defeat Mount Vernon 55-54 in a Northwest Conference game on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at Mount Vernon.

The Mariners (15-3, 9-2 NWC) scored 23 points in the first half and followed that with a 21 point third quarter. Sehome still trailed 51-44 at the start of the fourth quarter but held Mount Vernon to only three points in the final quarter. The Mariners eventually took a 55-54 lead - their first lead since the first quarter - and held on for their fourth straight victory.

"We were down 14 at the half and to just have the patience in dealing with a big hole at half was great," Sehome coach A.J. LaBree said in a phone interview. "I told my guards to hit the seams of the zone that (Mount Vernon) was playing and it all worked out in the end."

Sehome's Colin Peterson led all scorers with 17 points and teammate John Albert had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Shane Servoss led Mount Vernon with 15 points and had 7 rebounds and six assists.

Sehome will be traveling to Ferndale its next game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3.

SEHOME 55, MOUNT VERNON 54

Mount Vernon    19    18    14    3    -    54

Sehome    15    8    21    11    -    55

Mount Vernon: Thor Vopnford 14, Sean FitzGerald 0, Aaron Conard 0, Shane Servoss 15, Josh White 6, Chris McDowell 5, Jonah Cook 6, Jered Knapp 8.

Sehome: Geordie Marriner 6, Danny Stonedahl 7, Colin Peterson 17, Konstantin Andrushenko 3, Charlie Linneman 6, Kevin Virk 4, Titi Lamositele 2, John Albert 10, Jake Lester 0.

3-ptg: Mount Vernon 8 (Vopnford 4), Sehome 8 (Colin Peterson 2, Charlie Linneman 2, John Albert 2). Rebounds: Mount Vernon 26 (Servoss 7, Cook 7), Sehome 28 (John Albert 11). Assists: Mount Vernon 12 (Servoss 6), Sehome 9 (Geordie Marriner 5). Fouls: Mount Vernon 13, Sehome 11. Turnovers: Mount Vernon 10, Sehome 8.

Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/02/01/1846592/prep-boys-basketball-mariners.html