MARYSVILLE – For half the contest, it was what a high school basketball game is supposed to be all about.
The stands and the balconies were packed with Marysville fans, about half supporting home team Marysville Getchell and the other half supporting crosstown rival Marysville-Pilchuck. Even the entrances were standing-room only. Marysville police were there for crowd control. The schools’ resource officers bought yellow t-shirts for players and students in honor of suicide awareness.
There was tension in the air – one possible cause was two former MG players were now on M-P’s team. Other reasons included the cross-town rivalry and two good basketball teams. It was a physical game. The crowd was loud, especially when Tomahawk star RaeQuan Battle slammed down a thunderous dunk with 1:48 left in the half.
Just before that, Charger Caleb Koellmer scored inside to give MG its first lead of the game at 24-22 with 2:25 left in the half.
In the most pivotal part of the game, after a foul was called on MG, a technical foul followed. Battle made the two technical foul free throws, and Luke Dobler made one of his two foul shots. Plus, M-P got the ball back. MG then was called for a flagrant foul, and Battle made those two free throws, and M-P again got the ball back. Battle then hit a 3, before ending the 10-0 run in 37 seconds with the dunk, putting the visitors up 32-24 with 1:48 left. Malakhi Knight ended the streak with two free throws, but Battle then assisted with an inside pass to Alec Jones-Smith. MG cut the lead to 35-30 at halftime on an inside shot by Jesse Donk and two free throws by Caleb Koellmer.
Koellmer and Knight kept it close with 7 each and Josiah Koellmer added 6. Battle was by far M-P’s leading scorer with 14.
MG stayed fairly close in the third quarter, being outscored just 22-16 to trail 57-46. But the Tomahawks completely dominated the final quarter 30-12 to win going away.
Knight led MG with 22 and the Koellmer brother scored 11 each. Lul William had 6, Donk 4 and Cole Norton and Mejinta Adams-Taylor 2 each. M-P did not report its scores.
At Arlington, the Eagle boys tore up the visitors 70-36. It was Arlington’s first win over Stanwood since December 2012.
Anthony Whitis scored 20 points to end a nine-game losing streak to the Spartans. Josh Gutierrez added 14 points and Griffin Gardoski scored 12. Other scorers: Ethan Martin 6, Caden Smith 5, Will Abram 4 and with 3 apiece Gerit DeBerry, Michael Tsoukalas and Ryan Brown.
Girls basketball
It took three overtimes but Arlington knocked off Stanwood 65-63 Friday night.
Sierra Scheppele and Keira Marsh hit a pair of timely 3-pointers in overtime and led the winners with 21 and 12 points. Arlington improved to 10-1 in Wesco and 13-4 overall.
Other scorers: Hailey Hiatt 9, Abby Schwark 8, Josie Stupey 6, Abbey Hassing 5 and with 2 each Ella Strittmatter and Mollie Janousek.
Marysville Getchell also improved to 13-4 on the year with a 62-15 win over M-P.
The Chargers are 8-3 in league.
Maddy Grandbois scored 18 points, Mikail Montez 15 and Kortney Crane 11 points for the winners. Miriah Summers led the Tomahawks (5-13, 1-11) with 11 points.
Other MG scorers: Alexus Atkins 6, Kiki Green 5, Sydney Norton 4 and Brionna Palm 3.
For M-P, Georgia Bradley had 4.
In a 2A girls game, it was Sehome 36, Lakewood 34.
Girls wrestling
Arlington finished in a tie for third with Lynden with 104 points at the Lady Knights Invitational at Mariner High School Saturday, with more than 40 teams competing. Othello won with 207 points. Lakewood was ninth with 79, MG had 3 and M-P 0.
At 110 pounds, Vivian Potong of Arlington was fourth.
In the 120-pound A bracket, Tailer Cochran of Arlington was third, while in the B bracket teammate Rose Walthers placed fifth.
At 125 pounds in the A bracket, Cassidy O’Hara of Lakewood was second.
At 130 pounds, Olivia Poulton of Lakewood finished fourth.
At 135 pounds, Rhyleeann Wenberger of Lakewood was fourth.
Also placing fourth was Kylie Hinds of Arlington at 140 pounds. Annistazia Kramer of Lakewood was sixth.
Arlington’s Malia Wayman placed second at 190 pounds.
And at 235 pounds, Alyson Ellingson of Arlington was fifth.
