Mules come up short in league games

The Wahkiakum Mules boys basketball team suffered loss after loss last week, but their game against Mossyrock on Saturday proved that if they focused on the little things, they could hold their own.

On Tuesday, the Mules traveled to Randle to play Morton/White Pass, a team that has not yet lost a game this season. The Mules fared no better, losing 30-73.

Ryan Quigley led scoring with 16 points. Joey Moore, Zach Brown and Cody Terpsma added four more apiece. Hank Ferguson scored two. Stats were not available.

20 18 24 11 73 Morton/White Pass

8 7 6 9 30 Wahkiakum

On Saturday in a double header at home with the Lady Mules, the boys lost to Mossyrock 53-43.

Passing looked snappier and the boys were pulling down rebounds and getting second looks. They struggled to get hot on offense, but picked up enough steam in the second half to pull even with Mossyrock at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately, the Mules were outscored in the final eight minutes 21-13, and couldn't hold on.

Mossyrock's 6'3 senior and 2015 AP All State first team selection Jaron Kirkley was hard to stop. He scored 31 points, while the rest of his team came up with the other 22, no one scoring more than six.

"We moved the ball better on offense," Coach Todd Souvenir said. "Especially in the second half. We seemed to play as a team and even though we still struggled to score, we were getting good looks. The real improvement was on the boards. We gave up seven offensive boards in the first half and only four in the second half. This was after giving up 27 to Pe Ell and more than 20 to Winlock."

"Unfortunately, we ran out of gas on offense in the fourth and they hit a couple threes," Souvenir continued. "Kirkley finished around the rim and at the line. We played with more passion and energy than the previous two games. I was really pleased with their effort on both ends of the court."

Brown scored 17 to lead the Mules. He also had six rebounds, two assists, and one block. Quigley added 11 points and five rebounds. Moore, a passionate player who frequently sacrifices his body in the name of offense, got hot in the third quarter and scored eight points. He also had two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Ferguson had five points and 10 rebounds and James Anderson had two points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

15 7 10 21 53 Mossyrock

5 9 16 13 43 Wahkiakum

Last Wednesday at home, the Mules lost 47-59 to Pe Ell in a rough and tumble game with a big physical team that had just finished their fall season with a loss in the semi-finals of State 2B football.

Quigley had a double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He also had one assist and one block. Ferguson tossed in another 12 and added five rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Brown scored nine points and had five rebounds, two assists, and four steals. Moore added eight points, two rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Anderson and Terpsma had two points apiece. Anderson also had one rebound, two assists and one steal.

17 17 10 15 59 Pe Ell

12 10 11 14 47 Wahkiakum

Last Friday, the Mules traveled to Winlock, where they lost 45-58.

"We got out to an early lead," Coach Todd Souvenir said, "but then the fouls started and Zach (Brown) had three and had to sit the entire second quarter. We were outscored 7-17 in that time. We struggled to score from the perimeter and Winlock held us to one shot on our end while we continued to give them multiple opportunities. We cut their lead to eight a couple times in the fourth but couldn't get a bucket when we needed it."

Ferguson led scoring with 16 points. Moore had 14 points, Brown added eight, and Quigley had four. Casey Wilson and Evan Quigley got some time on the court, adding two and one more, respectively. Stats were not available.

11 17 16 14 58 Winlock

14 7 11 13 45 Wahkiakum

Tonight (Thursday), the Mules face Napavine at home. They won't play again until December 30, in Naselle.

The Mules are 0-5 in league and 1-5 overall.