FORKS — Forks’ big man Titus Rowley was barely able to play in the Spartans’ basketball game against Coupeville due to foul trouble, but it didn’t matter as the rest of the team came together to hold off the Wolves in a 55-47 victory.
The victory gave the Spartans a 3-0 record to start out the 2024-25 season.
Rowley came in to Monday’s game averaging 24 points a game, but only managed six with his limited minutes.
“He never shied away from contact. We just didn’t adjust to what the referees were calling,” said coach Keith Weekes.
The Spartans got off to a good start, building up a lead of 30-17. They built the lead up to 15 in the second half, but Coupeville clawed back to get within six at one point.
“We had a lot of turnovers and a lot of them were self-inflicted,” Weekes said. “We gave them a lot of second chances. They [Coupeville] made a run, but our boys didn’t freak out and panic.”
Forks was led by Brody Lausche, who scored 14 points to go with six rebounds and four blocked shots. Landen Olson had 12 points and eight rebounds, while Kyle Lohrengel had nine points, five rebounds and four steals. Bubba Hernandez had six points and four assists.
The Spartans have a game against 2A Aberdeen at home at 7 p.m. today.
“We’re playing big opponents on purpose,” Weekes said.
Forks 55, Coupeville 47
C’ville 8 9 14 16 — 47
Forks 12 18 13 12 — 55
Forks (55) — Lausche 14, Olson 12, Lohrengel 9, Hernandez-Stansbury 6, Rowley 6, Davila 5, Foster 2.
Girls basketball
Forks 42, Coupeville 29
FORKS — The Forks girls basketball team put on an impressive defensive display and got memorable and record-breaking games from Bailey Johnson and Brooklyn Rondeau in earning its first win of the season 42-29 over Coupeville.
The Spartans allowed only four points in the first half as they got up 22-4. The Spartans allowed only 11 points in the first three quarters, getting up 32-11 as Coupeville scored 60 percent of its points in the fourth.
“We came out and played much better defensively. We know we’re going to have to be a defensive team this year. We had 25 turnovers in the first half alone,” said coach David Hurn.
Bailey Johnson nearly had a triple-double. She had 15 steals, which coach David Hurn said is the most he’s ever seen in a Forks game. She added 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Hurn said Johnson was struggling with her shot but found other ways to impact the game with her defense and rebounding.
“She had a great all-around game when her shot wasn’t falling,” he said.
Rondeau, an eighth-grader allowed to play varsity high school at the 2B level (1B allows it, as well), was forced to start because of injuries to other players.
“We had a late scratch and five minutes before we took the court, we told her she would have to step up and start,” Hurn said.
Rondeau responded by hitting four 3-pointers and leading the Spartans with 15 points.
Avery Dilley added eight points and Karee Neel six.
Forks (1-2) next hosts Toutle Lake at 6 p.m. Friday.
Forks 42, Coupeville 29
C’Ville 2 2 7 18 — 29
Forks 16 6 10 10 — 42
Forks (42) — Rondeau 15, Johnson 10 Dilley 8, Neel 6, Hampton 3.
Bowling
Sequim 4, Bremerton 3
PORT ANGELES — The Bremerton girls bowling team was delayed at the Hood Canal Bridge on Monday, so the Sequim-Bremerton match was shortened to one regular game and four Baker games.
Bremerton won the regular game in a low-scoring affair 544-537, but Sequim won three out of the four Bakers 134-92, 114-11, 158-100, losing the fourth 118-95. Sequim also won the total pin count 1,038-965 to take the match.
Sequim’s Skylar Krzyworz had the team’s high game of 132.
Forks eighth-grader Brooklyn Rondeau hit four 3-pointers and scored 15 points to lead the varsity Spartans to a 42-29 win. Bailey Johnson also had 15 steals. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)
