Mules falter against Adna, top Vikes, Cards

Yannik Kruetter finished off Tuesday night’s decisive fourth quarter with an emphatic dunk, and Wyatt Parker erupted for a season-high 35 points as the Mules rolled to a 72-56 victory over the visiting Mossyrock Vikings.

The Mules played at a fast, energetic pace that had been lacking the past few games but led by just two points going into the final frame. However, the fourth quarter turned into one of the Mules’ best of the year as they wrapped up the game on a 25-11 run.

Chris Bilgic went a perfect 6 for 6 from the field for 14 points while Kruetter added eight points and four blocks. Defensively, the Mules racked up 15 steals, seven of which were tallied by John Chambers, and Brett Chaput grabbed eight rebounds to lead the team.

Last Saturday, the Mules travelled to Winlock and emerged victorious 71-51.

Chambers paced the Mules with 19 points to go with five steals. Parker picked up 15 points and led the team with nine boards and five assists. Chaput tossed in eight points while Kruetter, Lars Blix, and Peter Weiler added seven apiece. Bilgic added five points and five boards.

The night before, the Mules struggled on both ends of the court for the first 24 minutes of the game and their 21-point fourth quarter surge came up short as they fell to the third-ranked Adna Pirates 54-40.

The Mules trailed 32-10 at the half and didn’t convert their first field goal until midway through the second quarter.

Despite trailing by 20 points for the majority of the game, the Mules managed to cut the Pirate lead to eight with two-and-a-half minutes to go but couldn’t close the gap any further.

Parker was the lone bright spot offensively for the Mules as he accounted for half of the Mules’ scoring with 20 points and was a big factor in leading the comeback attempt. Chaput and Bilgic each collected six rebounds.

The Mules (12-4, 7-3) travel to Napavine tonight (Thursday) and return home Saturday in a crucial matchup with Central League rival Toutle Lake.

The junior varsity squad split their games this week, posting a 51-36 victory at Winlock and falling 72-62 versus Mossyrock.

Austin Good netted 11 points against the Cardinals with Shane Souvenir adding eight, Steven Doumit seven, Brandon Budd and Travis Wegdahl six apiece, Seth Doumit five, Mitchel Dault and Brady LaBerge three each, and Collan Riley two.

Against Mossyrock, Wegdahl and Souvenir found their touch, leading the team with 17 and 16, respectively. Seth Doumit added nine, Dault and Steven Doumit five apiece, Good four, Budd three, Riley two, and LaBerge one. The JV game against Adna was cancelled.

The Mule C-squad picked up a 13-11 overtime victory over the Vikings Tuesday night with LaBerge and Connar Riley scoring four apiece, Collan Riley three, and Budd two.