Lady Mules start district competition

The Wahkiakum Mules girls basketball team got two wins and suffered a loss this week, while finishing the regular season and starting district play. A final league win put the Mules in fifth place in the Central 2B league with a 7-6 record.

Last Wednesday on the road, the Mules beat the Ducks in a close game 44-39.

“The Toutle Lake game didn’t matter from a seeding standpoint,” Coach Rob Garrett said, “but we wanted to play well to avenge our previous loss and get some rhythm going into districts. The girls played a great first half. Best of the season up to that point. Toutle Lake played a solid second half and gave a good late game scare. Although we never want Reigha to foul out, it was a great opportunity for the other girls. Amirah had some big plays and Bailey played probably her best game all year and we got a huge win.”

Bailey McKinley led with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals. Miya Kerstetter added 12 points and four assists. Reigha Niemeyer had 11 points. Amirah Abdul-Kariem chipped in three points and seven rebounds.

Mules 14 15 4 11 --44

Toutle 7 8 4 20 --39

On Saturday, the Mules started the district tournament with a 54-38 win against Chief Leschi.

“I think the Chief Leschi game was our best game all year as a team,” Garrett said. “Our defense was locked in and we worked really well together. Offensively we had really good ball movement and Miya and Reigha capitalized on the extra time to shoot. Miya had her best overall game this year. The girls are really starting to put it all together and hopefully at the perfect time. Our goal from the beginning of the year was to find a way to make regionals. That win puts us in a great spot to make that goal possible if we continue to play well.”

Niemeyer had 20 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Kerstetter added 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists. McKinley had eight points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.

Abdul-Kariem scored five points. Jessie LeFever had four points.

Mules  10 17 17 10 --54

Chief Leschi 12 2 8 16 --38

The Mules took on the Central 2B league leaders, Napavine, on Tuesday and lost 49-26.

Niemeyer had 11 points. Kerstetter had seven points and eight rebounds. McKinley had four points and 10 rebounds. Brienna Cothren had three points. Abdul-Kariem added one point.

Mules 2 2 10 12 --26

Napavine 8 13 16 12 --49

The Mules head to Castle Rock tonight (Thursday) to face South Bend in a loser out game at 7 p.m.