Lady Mules win three in a row

Senior Peyton Souvenir proved why she has signed a letter of intent to play college basketball this week, scoring 18, 26 and 37 respectively as the Wahkiakum Mules girls basketball team rolled through three teams to begin the 2016-2017 season.

Last Wednesday, the Lady Mules traveled to Winlock and beat them soundly, 60-10. The Lady Mules allowed four points in the first quarter. Winlock did not score again until the fourth.

Souvenir scored 18 points. She also had 10 steals, six rebounds and one block. Macie Elliott added 15 points, eight rebounds and seven steals. Savannah Burdick had nine points. Charlie Ashe, Grayci Thomas, and Maddy Mace added four more each. McKensi Fluckiger scored three, Sydney Hansen had two, and Ellie Leitz added one.

“I thought we played great team defense and shared the ball really well,” Coach Rob Garrett said. “Couldn’t be much happier with that kind of start to a season.”

On Friday, the Lady Mules traveled to Toledo. The Indians kept it interesting in the first quarter, trailing by three, but Wahkiakum increased their lead by 10 in the second and 20 in the third, finally beating Toledo 61-38.

“It was an ugly game,” Garrett said. “Too many turnovers and not very good defense. It was a good night not to have our best showing though. Maddy Mace’s defensive hustle was great and offensively, Peyton Souvenir took over in the third and led the way with 26 points.”

Souvenir also had 10 rebounds, five assists and one block. Elliott and Hansen added nine points apiece. Hansen pulled down eight boards. Mace had eight points, Burdick scored five, and Ellie Leitz added four more.

The Lady Mules finished the week with an overtime win in Toutle Lake against the Ducks, 63-60.

“We had a big lead early and struggled late in the game to score,” Garrett said. “We need to be tougher and convert when we are open more consistently. The game went into overtime. Ellie Leitz made a couple big lay ups late in the game, which were huge. Overall, Peyton Souvenir carried us tonight with an all around great game.”

Souvenir scored 37 points, pulled down 16 rebounds, had seven assists and six steals. Burdick added 10 points. Leitz had six points. Charlie Ashe and Elliott had three points apiece. Hansen had two points and six rebounds, and Thomas added two more points.

“Although the game was not ideal, we are happy to come away with the win and it gives us great experience under pressure,” Garrett added.

The Lady Mules play their first home game of the season on Friday against Kalama. The game will be played in the middle school gym due to a tournament for high school girl’s wrestling that has been scheduled in the high school gym the same night.