Wahkiakum's season comes to an end

Wahkiakum's journey through the 2025 1B Boys State Basketball bracket came to an end on Feb. 28, as the Mules were narrowly defeated by Summit Classical Christian 55-49.

It was a tight game throughout, and though the Archers carried a 43-33 lead into the final period, the Mules made a fight of the fourth quarter. The Mules put together an impressive run to start the fourth and bring them back within a single possession, and the rest of the game remained tight.

With little time in the game and the score standing at 52-49 in favor of Summit Classical Christian, Wahkiakum's game-tying three-point attempt was just off the mark, and the Archers closed the game out at the free throw line. Junior forward Gage Robinson led the charge for the Mules, scoring a game-high 20 points as he fought to keep the Mules' season alive.

The difference in three-point shooting ended up being a deciding factor, as the Mules made just five of their 37 three-point attempts. The Archers were far more accurate, hitting 10 out of 25 attempts, a 40% clip. With just six points between the teams at the end, the five-made margin in the three-point category looms large.

Despite the off-shooting night, the 55-49 result is nothing for the Mules to hang their heads about. Summit Classical Christian entered the matchup with the Mules with a 22-4 record and ended the regular season as the 10th-ranked team in WIAA's 1B RPI rankings. On top of that, the one matchup between the two programs earlier in the season saw Wahkiakum lose 72-55.

When the two teams faced off at Mark Morris High School on Feb. 28, it came down to the very end, an indication of how the Mules have grown this season.

The Mules ended the season with a 14-11 record and put together a strong district run to make the state bracket and the season as one of the top 20 teams in the state. A look at the roster also indicates that the best could still come from this group. Wahkiakum has just one senior this year, shooting guard Mason Waldeck. Though the Mules will likely miss his leadership, Wahkiakum has a loaded junior class, including key contributors like Parker Leitz, Jayden Stoddard, and Robinson.

Last season, the Mules made it to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Washington 2B Boys State tournament, where Colfax defeated them. But after losing five seniors, the 2025 season was about seeing players step into bigger roles. With a solid returning core set to return next season, the future looks bright for Wahkiakum.