By Michael Carman and Pierre LaBossiere
Peninsula Daily News
CHIMACUM — The Port Townsend boys fended off a tough challenge from Chimacum, pulling out a 48-44 Olympic League 1A Division win to maintain a hold on first place.
The red-hot Redhawks (9-3, 4-0) won their fourth straight, but the Cowboys made them work for it, as Chimacum held narrow leads at halftime and entering the fourth quarter.
“They [Chimacum] wanted to win,” Port Townsend head coach Tom Webster said.
“Chimacum jumped out on us 9-0 to start the game and I didn’t call timeout. I let them play through it and we were able to catch back up.”
The Redhawks were led by 16 points from Berkley Hill, including four 3-point baskets.
Port Townsend also got 11 points from Detrius Kelsall. Kelsall hit 8 of 10 free throws in the final quarter, according to Webster. Post Kaiden Parcher added eight points.
“I was proud of the guys’ ability to find a way to win,” Webster said. “We defended well enough at the end and made shots when it counted. We scored enough points to pull off a road win.
The Cowboys got 14 from Devyn Winkley, and 13 from Issac Purser.
“It was a hard fought, rivalry game where both teams played great defense throughout. We did a good job keeping their scorers in check, but in the end we just couldn’t make the shots we needed to in order to win,” Chimacum coach Justin Bento said.
Chimacum (3-8, 3-2) could have tied the Redhawks for first with a win, but remains in second place in the 1A Division. The Cowboys next play at 7 p.m. Friday at 2A North Kitsap. The Cowboys have a rematch with Port Townsend at Port Townsend Tuesday.
The Redhawks play at Klahowya at 7 p.m. Friday in an Olympic 1A Division game.
Port Townsend 48, Chimacum 44
Port Townsend 10 11 11 16— 48
Chimacum 15 9 9 11— 44
Port Townsend (44) — Hill 16, Kelsall 11, Parcher 8, Boucher 5, Montoya 4, Watkins 4.
Chimacum (48) — Winkley 14, Purser 11, Hundley 10, L. Dotson 6, Hartnett 3.
Hoquiam 80, Forks 74
FORKS — The Forks boys came up just short 80-74, giving up 52 points in the second half to a hot-shooting Hoquaim team in a battle for first place in the Evergreen 1A League.
A trio of Hoquiam players — Jerod Steen, Jack Adams and Jace Varner — all scored over 20 points for the 3-0 Grizzlies.
Forks coach Rick Gooding said Hoquaim is a good team and a good shooting team.
He said Forks got away from what works best for them, forcing too many shots without using an inside-out offense with 6-foot-9 post Marky Adams.
“We need to work through Adams. We got away from that a bit,” said Gooding.
Forks and Hoquiam combined for a wild second half, with the Grizzlies outscoring the Spartans 52-38 in the half. Steen scored 16 points in the third quarter for Hoquiam, while Varner scored 17 in the second half.
Parker Browning scored 20 for the Spartans, while Adams scored 14 and Cole Baysinger 10.
Forks (8-4, 1-1) played last night at Klahowya. Their next game is an Evergreen 1A contest at Montesano at 7 p.m. Friday.
Hoquiam 80, Forks 74
Hoquiam 19 9 29 23— 80
Forks 13 23 22 16— 74
Hoquiam (80) — Steen 25, Adams 25, Varner 21, James 5, Spradlin 4.
Forks (74) — Browning 20, Adams 14, Baysinger 10, Prose 8, Flores 7, Schumack 7, Johnson 3, Tjano 3, Baar 2.
Sequim at Coupeville, PPD.
COUPEVILLE — Icy road conditions prompted the postponement of this nonleague contest to Monday, Jan. 30.
________
Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News Forks’ Jeffery Schumack (2) drives between Hoquiam’s Zach Spradlin (left) and Jack Adams during the Grizzlies’ come-from-behind Evergreen League win over the Spartans.
