PORT TOWNSEND — The East Jefferson girls basketball team won its fifth straight in dominating fashion over Charles Wright while the Rivals boys also beat the Tarriers in their Nisqually League opener.
The girls got up 32-0 in the first quarter and won 72-3, the Rivals’ biggest blowout in their four-year existence. The Rivals nearly went the entire game without allowing a point as they went into the fourth quarter up 62-0 against an 0-11 Tarriers’ squad.
Ten members of the Rivals were able to play and nine scored. Kaydence Plotner led the team with 18 points, 12 steals and six rebounds. Kay Botkin had 17 points, hitting three 3-pointers, and Dylin Shockley had 17 points with a pair of 3-pointers.
Penina Vailolo had three blocks, five steals and six rebounds. As a team, the Rivals finished with 33 steals.
With the victory, the Rivals improved to 6-6 overall, bouncing back from a 1-6 start to the season.
East Jefferson 72, Charles Wright 3
CW 0 0 0 3 — 3
EJ 32 10 20 10 — 72
East Jefferson (72) — Plotner 18, Botkin 17, Shockley 17, Harris 6, Smith 6, O’Keefe 4, Rogers 2, Vailolo 2, Huntingford 2.
Boys basketball East Jefferson 52, Charles Wright 38
The boys game was much closer as the Rivals pulled away in the second half to win 52-38.
East Jefferson had a sluggish second quarter and was up just 20-14 at the end of the first half, outscored the Tarriers 32-24 in the second half to fend them off.
“Shot it really poorly in the first half, 6-for-31,” said coach Adam Washburn. “But played really good defense and rebounded well.”
The Rivals finished with 38 rebounds, 10 of them on the offensive end. They had good balance with five players with at least five points and five players with at least five rebounds.
Luke O’Hara led the team with 17 points, four assists and three steals, while John Mercado hit three 3-pointers and scored 16. Dillon Page Castillo had 11 rebounds.
It was the third win in four games for the Rivals.
The East Jefferson teams move to Chimacum for their next home games. The girls (1-1, 6-6) host Vashon (1-3, 2-7) at 5:30 p.m., while the boys (1-0, 4-6) play the Pirates (1-2, 3-6) at 7 p.m.
E. Jefferson 52, Charles Wright 38
CW 5 9 14 10 — 38
EJ 14 6 17 15 — 52
East Jefferson (52) — O’Hara 17, John Mercado 16, Julius Mercado 5, Williamson 5, Little 5, Castillo 3, Diaz-Zavalza 1.
East Jefferson’s John Mercado (2) shoots against Charles Wright. Mercado hit three 3-pointers and scored 16 in a Rivals’ victory.
