CHIMACUM — Port Townsend finally won a close game and Chimacum finally kept a game close.
The Redskins girls basketball team won the rivalry showdown Thursday night 42-41 in a game that defied the previous results of both teams this season.
Port Townsend came into the game with three losses by a total of seven points to some of the top teams in the Olympic League.
The Cowboys came into the game winless with their closest loss a 13-point setback to Life Christian earlier this month.
Chimacum (0-5 in the Nisqually League, 0-7 overall) played the Redskins tight all game long and trailed by one, 27-26, going into the fourth quarter.
“Both teams clearly wanted to beat the other,” Chimacum coach Trevor Huntingford said.
The game remained close in the fourth quarter as the score remained within one point for much of the final eight minutes.
In the final minute, Jewel Johnson hit a 3-pointer to give Port Townsend a four-point lead.
But the Cowboys again got within a point on a 3-pointer by Kiersten Snyder.
However time ran out on Chimacum’s upset bid when it was unable to foul to stop the clock.
Johnson finished with 14 points.
“We’ve faced a lot of good players in the Nisqually League this season,” Huntingford said, “but Jewel is on a different level. I give [Chimacum guard] Cydney Nelson a lot of credit for holding her to 14 points.”
Port Townsend coach Randy Maag said Johnson also stands out against Olympic League competition.
“Jewel, in my mind, is on of the top five players in the league,” Maag said.
“She is just spectacular.”
The Redskins (4-3, 6-3) have faced every team in the league except Port Angeles, and Maag said so far no none of them has a point guard comparable to Johnson.
Codi Hallinan scored a game-high 15 points for Port Townsend and Irina Lyons contributed seven.
It was a rough offensive night for the Redskins, who shot 15 for 53 from the field and 10 for 28 at the free-throw line.
“We just could not shoot the ball,” Maag said.
“I don’t know if it was a hangover from [Wednesday’s one-point home loss to Bremerton] or what.
“We had plenty of energy, we just could not put the ball in the hoop.”
For Chimacum, Lauren Thacker had 12 points and Nelson and Mallori Cossell score six each.
Despite the loss, Huntingford was satisfied with how his team responded to adversity throughout the contest.
“It’s the most complete game we’ve played all season,” he said.
“It’s the first time all season that we haven’t crumbled under pressure. As the game went on, we actually improved.”
The two teams get another shot at each other Friday night at the Crush the Slush tournament at Port Townsend High School.
Huntingford, in his first season as Chimacum’s coach, said some questioned his decision to play the Redskins again at their own tournament — something previous coaches refused to do.
“It’s the game of the year,” he said.
“If you only get one win all season, it’s this won.
“I think [playing teams like Port Townsend] is the best way for us to grow.”
Port Townsend 42, Chimacum 41
Port Townsend 8 9 10 15— 42
Chimacum 5 15 6 15— 41
Individual scoring
Port Townsend (42)
Jewel Johnson 14, Rubio 2, Lyons 7, Hossack 3, Reeves 1, Hallinan 15.
Chimacum (41)
Cerna 4, Nelson 6, A. Thacker 3, L. Thacker 12, Cossell 6, Johnson 5, Snyder 3, Sutherland 2.
Boys Basketball
Chimacum 46,
Port Townsend 42
CHIMACUM — Rafael Pagasian scored 22 points to lead the Cowboys help past their Quimper Peninsula rival on Thursday night.
Chimacum grabbed went up early, leading 14-8 after one quarter and 23-15 at halftime, and then held on while the Redskins tried to chip away at the lead.
Derek Ajax scored seven points in the win and Kevin Miller scored six.
The Cowboys are now 2-5 on the season (0-5 in the Nisqually League), with both wins coming against Olympic League team. They opened the season with a victory over Klahowya.
Cody Russell led Port Townsend (1-6, 2-7) with 19 points, while Skyler Coppenrath and Paul Spaltenstein added six apiece.
The rivals will again face off Friday night at Port Townsend’s Crush the Slush Tournament.
Chimacum 46, Port Townsend 42
Port Townsend 8 7 15 12— 42
Chimacum 14 9 12 11— 46
Individual scoring
Port Townsend (42)
O’Brien 3, Russell 19, Coppenrath 6, LeMaster 2, King 2, Charlton 4, Spaltenstein 6.
Chimacum (46)
Miller 6, Pagasian 22, Carthum 2, Downs 3, Ajax 7, Ham 2, Weller 4.
Forks 55,
Rainier 40
RAINIER — The Spartans earned another road victory behind 15 points from Mark Jacobson, 12 from Colton Raben and 11 by Leo Gonzales.
Forks was strong in the paint on the offensive end of the floor, employing the height of Jacobson, Gonzales, Nick Gilmore and Braden Decker throughout the game.
“We worked hard at getting the ball inside,” Spartans coach Rick Gooding said.
“We were sloppy at times, but every win on the road is a good one in this league.”
Decker scored nine points and Gilmore contributed six.
Zachary Froembling put up 23 points in the loss for Rainier.
Forks is now 8-0 on the season and 3-0 in the SWL-Evergreen Division, with all three league wins coming on the road.
“It’s nice to go into the Christmas break 8-0,” Gooding said.
“Hopefully our boys aren’t satisfied and will continue getting better.”
Forks 55, Rainier 40
Forks 12 13 16 14— 55
Rainier 8 12 12 8— 40
Individual scoring
Forks (55)
Raben 12, Abrahams 2, Gilmore 6, Decker 9, Jacobson 15, Gonzales 11.
Rainier (40)
Froembling 23, Bell4, Evans 6, Miller 2, Shaw 5.
Crescent 75,
Port Angeles C 52
JOYCE — Derek Findley finished a productive week with 29 points to lead the Loggers on Thursday night.
Findley scored at least 25 points in all three of Crescent’s games last week. He scored 25 apiece against Sequim JV and Clallam Bay earlier in the week.
Gene Peppard scored 13 points for the Loggers, and Travis Walker and Sage Fadness both added eight points each.
Crescent 75, Port Angeles C Team 52
Port Angeles C 5 15 12 20— 52
Crescent 14 24 20 17— 75
Individual scoring
Crescent (75)
Walker 8, Fadness 8, C. Wolfer 2, Findley 29, Waldrip 4, Kjerulf 2, Q. Wolfer 5, Peppard 13, Sowder 4.