Clatskanie gets first win against rival Rainier

The Clatskanie Tigers boys’ basketball team earned their first win of the season Monday by nearly doubling up on rival Rainier High School 55-30. The boys were led by junior Zack Mollenhour who delivered 19 points, going 7 for 15 from the field. Mollenhour led the teams in blocks as well with two to go along with his three rebounds and lone assist. Also scoring in double digits was sophomore Gunner Engen who had 13 points and a team-high of five assists to go along with his five rebounds, two steals, and lone block. Senior Ryder Gorley led the team in steals with five and co-led the team with five rebounds. Engen and sophomore Michael Simpson had five boards apiece as well in the blowout win. The Tigers led the Columbians 16-5 going into halftime. Rainier outscored Clatskanie 19-18 in a highly contested third quarter, but the boys were able to pull away for good in the fourth, outscoring visiting Rainier 21-6 en route to the blowout.

“[The] kids played with a tone of energy on defense,” said Coach Deshaun Combs after Monday’s win. “That is our special this year. Gunner Engen did another great job controlling the game on offense. Zach Mollenhour finally got going in the offensive tonight, but the story is Ryder Gorly and Brenden Scholl played their hearts out on defense, guarding their best two players and making it really hard for them to get going. We are getting better each day.”

Six days earlier, the boys were two minutes from having their first win of the season at home against Riverdale, but ended the night coming up one point shy in the 49-48 loss. The Tigers were led in scoring by Simpson, who had 18 points, followed with 10 by Engen. Simpson also led the team in rebounds with seven, followed with six by Engen who led the team with three assists. Senior Brendan Shroll led the Tigers with four steals, followed with three by junior Bode Shulda. Simpson and freshmen Landyn Winton and Will Van Voorst had one block apiece in the one-point loss.

The Tigers traveled to Portland Thursday, Dec. 12 to take on Oregon Episcopal. With a seemingly narrow 23-15 lead going into halftime, the Aardvarks took little time putting the game out of reach by outscoring the Tigers 27-6 in the third quarter. Oregon Episopal outscored Clatskanie 9-5 in the fourth quarter to finish off the 59-26 win. Engen and Mollenhour led the team with six points each in the loss. Simpson led the team in rebounds once again with eight, followed with five by Gorley. Shroll had the lone block of the night for the Tigers.

On Friday, Dec. 13, the Tigers returned home to take on Castle Rock. Trailing by only three points going into halftime, Clatskanie was held to only five points in the third quarter, allowing Castle Rock to pull away en route to its 52-36 win.

Engen led the team in scoring with 11 points, followed by Mollenhour’s six and five apiece by Shroll and junior Ayden Blackshire. Simpson led the team in rebounds with 10, while Mollenhour showed his diversity by leading the team in both steals and blocks with three each and co-leading the team with Shulda in assists with two.

The boys looked to continue their winning ways Tuesday at home against Portland Adventist Academy. The results of Tuesday’s game and this Saturday’s contest on the road in Vancouver against King’s Way Christian will be included in next week’s edition of The Wahkiakum County Eagle.