Head Coach Eric Jangard emptied the bench for the second straight game as the Wolverines tuned up for a pivotal matchup against Orcas with a 45-24 rout over Shoreline Christian Saturday on the road.

Junior Maggie Andersen tallied a team-high 14 points, and senior Kayla Short and sophomore Liz Taylor scored eight points apiece, as Friday Harbor jumped out to an early lead and never trailed against the Crusaders, winless so far in nine league outings.

Rachel Scheider scored eight points and Bethany Richards had seven for Shoreline Christian.

With the victory, the Wolverines notched their eighth league win in a row and improved to 8-1 Northwest 1A/2B League and 11-5 overall. With their Cinderella-like rise to the top, the Wolverines remain in sole possession of first place in the league standings, but only one game in front of Orcas.

At Shoreline Christian, a total of 10 Wolverines shared time on the court on the eve of Tuesday’s showdown on the Vikings (7-2) home court. Friday Harbor prevailed in the first meeting between the inter-island rivals, 40-37 in overtime. Jangard expected nothing less than a dogfight in Tuesday’s rematch at Orcas. (See SanJuanJournal.com for results.)

The Wolverines, Jangard said, are well aware Orcas could earn a share of the league lead by evening the score. Friday Harbor, however, could almost assure itself of a first league title in the modern era with a victory over the Vikings and a sweep of the two-game season series.

“I expect they’ll be extremely fired up to play us,” he said. “It’s a different feeling, but it’s a good feeling knowing that we have to go in there and try to hold serve, so to speak.”

Jan. 29
Friday Harbor 55
Darrington 31
Maggie Andersen tallied a season-high 26 points to help Friday Harbor overwhelm Darrington 55-31 Jan. 29 at Turnbull Gym, solidifying the Wolverines’ hold on the Northwest 1A/2B league lead.

Up 10-9 at the end of one, Friday Harbor outscored the Loggers 11-7 in the second period and took a five-point advantage into the locker room at the break.

After intermission, the Wolverines stepped on the gas and shifted into high-gear. They outscored Darrington 11-6 in the third period and then turned that 10-point advantage into an insurmountable lead with a 23-9 run in the final eight minutes of regulation.

Junior Kelsey Barnes scored 12 points and senior Kayla Short tossed in nine.

This was not the same Darrington team that scorched Concrete 76-33.

While the Friday Harbor offense was prolific at the net, defense was aggressive as well; the Wolverines held Renee Cousins, Darrington’s top scorer, to 15 points. Only five other Loggers scored, and only between 2 and 4 points each. Cousins had one three-point goal.

Darrington fell to 6-3 in league and 11-5 overall.

Next: The Wolverines end their regular-season schedule with a three-game home stand.

They host Concrete on Feb. 9, Mount Vernon Christian Feb. 12, and Meridian Feb. 13 in the regular-season finale.

STANDINGS
Northwest 1A/2B League
Friday Harbor 8-1
Orcas 7-2
La Conner 6-2
Darrington 6-3
Mount Vernon Christian 2-6
Concrete 1-7
Shoreline Christian 0-9