BHS GIRLS BASKETBALL
Spartans fall flat in league playoffs
Exactly one month before Tuesday’s game with Holy Names, the Bainbridge girls basketball team played one of its best and most entertaining games of the season as it beat the Cougars 45-43.
The rematch was undoubtedly the team’s ugliest game of the season.
Ranked fourth in the Seattle Times poll, the Spartans quickly fell victim to the Cougars’ intense defensive pressure as they trailed 13-3 after the first quarter.
The deficit swelled to 42-17 by the time the third quarter ended.
The final score was 49-26, snapping a seven-game win streak and depriving coach Penny Gienger of the opportunity to compete for the Metro League championship in her final season at the Spartan helm.
Brittany Gray and Anna Wood both scored nine points, well below their respective season averages.
“We were awful, and I don’t know why,” said Gienger. “I was embarrassed. This is the playoffs, after all. They pressed us galore and we freaked.
“We were slow and turned the ball over with reckless abandon.”
The team played Lakeside – a 44-32 loser to Franklin on Tuesday – last night to determine the Metro League’s No. 3 and 4 seeds into next week’s District 2 tournament.
The winner has a first-round bye, while the loser hosts the Metro’s seventh seed on Tuesday in a loser-out game.
BHS BOYS BASKETBALL
Spartans drop playoff games to Franklin, Rainier Beach
When the Spartan boys basketball team handed Franklin its only loss earlier this year, the key was holding Peyton Siva in check.
On Tuesday, Siva, who is bound for Louisville next fall, took over a tight game with a minute remaining in the second quarter.
With the Quakers leading 19-17, the 6-1 guard had a hand in eight quick points as the Quakers built a halftime lead of 27-17 en route to a 63-45 win.
“That was the difference right there,” coach Steve Henderson said.
While the Spartans closed to within six points in the third quarter, they had to foul repeatedly in the game’s closing minutes.
Franklin netted 13 free throws in the final quarter to remove any doubt about the outcome.
Ryan Burris scored 15 points, while Will DiIorio had 14. Siva finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
The loss set up a game last night with Seattle Prep, which dropped a 76-62 decision to Rainier Beach on Tuesday.
The winner is the No. 3 seed in the District 2 tournament and has a first-round bye, while the fourth-seeded loser will host a loser-out game against the Metro’s seventh seed – most likely Cleveland or Nathan Hale – on Tuesday.
On Saturday, the team lost a tiebreaker game to Sound Division co-champion Rainier Beach 52-42.
The Vikings clamped down on Paul Weese and Will DiIorio, who combined for nine points.
Ben Eisenhardt led the team with 13 points while Burris added 12.
BHS WRESTLING
Four Spartans qualify for state meet
Mason Remy won the 189-pound division at Saturday’s regional wrestling championships to lead four Spartan wrestlers into Mat Classic XXI, the state wrestling championships, which begin at the Tacoma Dome this morning.
“I feel good about Mason’s chances to be successful,” coach Dan Pippinger said. “He’s peaking at just the right time.”
Remy won his semifinal match 10-4 and then had little difficulty in the final, winning a 12-1 major decision.
Eli Narte (140 pounds) also won his opening two matches, but lost his final match in a 9-6 decision.
Mike Furman (145 pounds) came oh-so-close to joining his teammates in the finals. After an easy win to open the competition, he lost his second match by a point. He recovered in his final match, pinning his opponent early in the second round.
Freshman Alec Griewe “made a lot of young mistakes,” according to Pippinger. But he won his next two matches to qualify for the consolation finals. Griewe was pinned in his final match but still qualified for state.
BHS TRACK
Island athletes improve at Husky Classic
Six Bainbridge track and field athletes competed in Sunday’s Husky Classic at UW’s Dempsey Indoor Center, their final tuneup before the season officially begins with the Kitsap Invitational on March 14.
“Everybody either improved their time from the last meet (Jan. 18) or met our goal,” said Gary Osmond, one of several local runners who works with the group.
Results:
Courtney Odell, 400 meters 1:03.06; Griffin Dunn, 400 55.57, Ryan Vogel, 600 1:30.95; Isabel Ferguson, 800 meters, 2:24.30; Pearl Terry, 800, 2:31.51; Emily Barreca, 3000 11:23.21. Ferguson also cleared 4 feet, 11 inches in the high jump.
Former Spartan Emily Farrar, now a freshman at WSU, ran the 3000 meters on Saturday in 17:36.77.
