By Bryan Leighton, Journal contributor

On Feb. 10, in their final regular season game, the Friday Harbor boys basketball team delivered a thrilling performance in front of a standing-room-only crowd. The last home game is always special, regardless of the outcome, as it marks a time to honor the senior players. This year, the Wolverines recognized three seniors: Pierce Kleine, Whiley McCutcheon and Mason Smith.

Friday Harbor found themselves playing from behind for most of the night. They trailed 10-6 after the first quarter and were still down 26-25 at halftime. Entering the final quarter, Orcas held a 38-34 lead, but the Wolverines had a dramatic late-game push in them, delivering a thrilling 54-46 comeback victory.

While contributions were plentiful, three players shined in the victory: Kleine (19 points), sophomore Julius Matsumura (20 points) and junior Mamadou Hoskins (9 points). It was Matsumura who delivered in the biggest moments, knocking down clutch shots to keep the Wolverines within reach. He has been a perimeter threat all season, but this intense league battle saw him take a leap forward. His shooting forced Orcas into a difficult dilemma: focus on stopping Kleine’s relentless play and Hoskins’ presence in the paint, or leave the perimeter vulnerable. When Orcas chose the latter, Matsumura made them pay — his 20-point performance proving the difference.

Orcas, backed by a lively contingent of traveling fans, learned the hard way that no lead is safe against a red-hot shooter. Matsumura buried multiple 3-pointers down the stretch, including two in the closing minutes, silencing the visiting crowd. Friday Harbor’s 54-46 comeback victory marks their first sweep of Orcas since the 2018-2019 season.

As the Friday Harbor band and cheerleaders led the home crowd in the school fight song, the defeated Vikings and their supporters slowly felt the gym in stunned silence, processing the weight of a season sweep. The cold walk back to the ferry only added to the bitterness, as the freezing temperatures seemed to match the sting of their loss.

Postseason update

The Wolverines traveled to Coupeville for the first round of postseason play, battling a familiar league rival. Despite a valiant effort, they fell short against the Wolves, 43-36. Friday Harbor faced Auburn Adventist Academy on Feb. 18 in a must-win matchup to keep their season alive, but lost 71-57.

Friday Harbor girls basketball falls to Orcas 56-35

The Friday Harbor girls basketball team faced significant adversity even before the opening whistle. Standout sophomore guard Atziry Orozco-Jimenez, injured in the previous game, was on crutches instead of the court. “Atziry had become one of our key defenders and ball-handlers, so we knew we would miss her contributions,” said Head Coach Sue Grenfell. Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of the adversity the Wolverines would endure, as senior captain Mia Germain reinjured her knee immediately after the opening tip and had to be assisted off the court and into the locker room.

Despite these setbacks, the Wolverines managed to stay neck and neck with the Vikings in the opening quarter. However, Orcas was able to pull away in the second quarter, going into halftime with a commanding 37-13 lead.

Senior captain Sarah Cruz showed strong distribution during her minutes on the floor, particularly in her connection with sophomore forward Vera Schoultz, but Cruz ran into foul trouble early and fouled out midway through the third quarter.

Reflecting on the match, Grenfell shared, “All of that [injuries and foul trouble] plus some good shooting by Orcas, left us off our game. However, I was extremely pleased with how the team responded. During halftime, the team shared their thoughts and feelings about the first half and, more importantly, about what they wanted the second half to look and feel like. They came back out on the court with much more confidence and energy, and while the deficit was too much to overcome, the team walked off the court with their heads up and with things to be proud of.”

While Friday Harbor ultimately fell to Orcas 56-35, there was much to celebrate. Schoultz once again led the team in scoring with 21 points. As with all challenging circumstances in sports, there is always an opportunity for others to step up, and the Wolverines saw freshman Lyla Ovenall give a strong performance with five second-half points in a much more prominent role than usual, while sophomore Lily Carrillo led the team in assists.

In addition to celebrating the season’s performance, the Wolverines also honored the years of contributions from seniors Germain and Cruz, who have been staples of the basketball program throughout their high school careers.

Postseason update

On Feb. 13, Friday Harbor played Orcas in their first postseason match and lost 49-30. The Wolverines played Coupeville on Feb. 18 in a win-to-stay-in game but lost in a nailbiting game 28-26.