FORKS — Forks opened the boys basketball season with a 65-45 loss at home to North Beach.
But the young Spartans, who started three sophomores and a freshman, were more competitive than the final score might indicate.
Forks started slow, falling behind by 15 points before cutting the deficit to eight at halftime and even taking a one-point lead in the third quarter, before the Hyaks pulled away with a bunch of free throws late in the game.
“The exciting thing is we’re going to get a lot better because we’re so young,” Forks coach Rick Gooding said after Tuesday’s game.
“Being young isn’t an excuse, it’s just what we have.”
Senior Colton Raben, the lone upperclassman starter, led the Spartans with 16 points. Parker Browning added nine points and Keishun Ramsey and Marky Adams had five each.
Forks plays at Clallam Bay today at 7 p.m.
North Beach 65, Forks 47
North Beach 15 16 16 18— 65
Forks 8 15 12 10— 47
Individual scoring
North Beach (65)
Hernandez 14, Beck 16, Fry 9, Wagner 4, Porvour 15, Chong 2, Perez 6.
Forks (45)
Schumack 3, Raben 16, Ramsey 5, Baysinger 4, Pegram 3, Browning 9, Adams 5, Tejano, Rondeau, Kell.
Girls Basketball
Forks 40, North Beach 38
FORKS — Freshman Savanah Norbisrath picked up her only bucket of the night off a pick-and-roll play with 10 seconds remaining to give Forks a season-opening 40-38 win against North Beach.
Down 36-29 entering the fourth quarter Tuesday, the Spartans put the clamps on the Hyaks defensively, limiting North Beach to just two points in the final stanza to rally for the win.
“We picked up the defensive intensity and didn’t allow a field goal for the fourth quarter,” Forks coach Al Scheibner said.
Sophomore Skyler DeMatties led the Spartans with 14 points including “a crucial 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to get us back in the game,” Scheibner said.
Freshman Bailee Kratzer knocked down a free throw to tie the game at 38-all with less than a minute to play. Kratzer finished with five points.
“Seniors Rani Banks and Brooklynn Hostetler also had some crucial points in the second half to keep us in it,” Scheibner said.
Hostetler scored seven points and Banks had five for the Spartans.
“Overall a pretty good game. Particularly being the first game,” Scheibner said.
Forks (1-0) visits Clallam Bay tonight at 5:45 p.m.
Forks 40, North Beach 38
North Beach 12 4 20 2— 38
Forks 5 12 12 11— 40
Individual scoring
Forks (40)
DeMatties 14, Hostetler 7, Kratzer 5, Banks 5, Rowley 3, Hoagland 2, Norbisrath 2, Henry 2.
Bainbridge 51, Sequim 40
BAINBRIDGE — With only eight players available due to a lack of practices, the shorthanded Wolves started slow and fell on the road to Bainbridge.
The Class 3A Spartans raced to a 16-1 lead after one quarter Tuesday, before Class 2A Sequim’s defense showed up in the second period, holding Bainbridge to just two points.
Unfortunately for Sequim, it couldn’t trim much off the lead, scoring just four second-quarter points of its own.
“Bainbridge shot ball extremely well and their pressure on defense really caused trouble for us and forced us into a lot of turnovers,” Sequim coach Evan Still said.
“I don’t think the girls were ready for that pressure right off the bat.
“I don’t know how many turnovers we had, and I’m a little scared to watch the film.”
The Wolves offense warmed up after halftime, scoring 35 of their 40 points.
“In the second half, we stopped turning it over started executing more and got more shots,” Still said.
Hailey Lester and McKenzie Bentz each scored 11 points to lead Sequim.
Adrienne Haggerty chipped in nine for the Wolves.
“She did really well for us,” Still said of Haggerty’s game.
“Our bench was all swing players [those who split time between junior varsity and varsity], and I’m happy we were able to play those girls against a team like Bainbridge and get them some good experience.”
The Wolves (0-1) should have more players available Friday when they host Klahowya at 7 p.m.
Bainbridge 51, Sequim 40
Sequim 1 4 13 22— 40
Bainbridge 16 2 17 16— 51
Individual scoring
Sequim (40)
Lester 11, Bentz 11, Haggerty 9, Williams 6, Cummins 2 ,Beuke 1.
Bainbridge (51)
Usellis 7, Lant 7, Tye 16, Cuchmeier 8, Bredy 0, Beutie 4, Gibbs 3, Havill 6.
Girls Bowling
Sequim 4, Klahowya 3
SILVERDALE — After trailing by 40 pins going into the last baker game and needing to win by 41 to take the match, the Wolves rolled a 175 to win by 19 total pins, 1491-1472.
Dakota Henderson struck in the eighth frame for Sequim, and Tenille Tosland did likewise in the ninth.
Then anchor bowler Kaitlyn Jackson threw two in a row to win the game and match.
Sequim is now 3-2 on the season and bowls against reigning state champion Bremerton at Laurel Lanes in Port Angeles today at 3 p.m.
