PORT TOWNSEND — Senior guard Eric Thomas sank 19 points to spark Port Townsend over archrival Chimacum in nonleague boys basketball action Monday night.
The Redskins flew out to a 28-15 halftime lead but had to hold off a late Cowboys rally to win 57-51.
“We had a big lead in the first half but we relaxed in the second half,” Port Townsend coach John Stroeder said.
The Cowboys got within two points with a minute left but the Redskins woke up in time to win their sixth straight game against their Jefferson County rivals.
“We were there at the end,” Chimacum coach Jim Eldridge said.
Thomas and his teammates made sure the Cowboys got no closer than the two points.
“Thomas drove down the middle and passed to Seiji Thielk, who hit a big 3-pointer for them,” Eldridge said.
Chimacum had to foul the rest of the way and the Redskins ended up with the six-point victory.
Class 1A Port Townsend, 2-5 in the Olympic League and 4-7 overall, jumps from the frying pan right into the fire against 3A Port Angeles tonight on the road.
Chimacum gave Port Townsend everything it could handle in the second half, outscoring the Redskins 36-29.
“They’re an up-and-coming team,” Stroeder said about Chimacum.
Three Port Townsend players scored in double figures as Thomas led with 19 while Evan O’Brien swished in 13 points and Cameron Robinson added 12.
Thomas also had five assists.
“We’re coming along and getting ready for the playoffs,” Stroeder said.
Chimacum, 1-3 in the Nisqually League and 3-9 overall, had two players score in double figures as sophomore Landon Cray earned game-high honors with 22 and Quinn Eldridge added 11.
Dylan Brown put in eight points for the Cowboys.
Chimacum next plays at Seattle Christian on Friday night.
Port Townsend 57, Chimacum 51
Chimacum 10 5 11 25 — 51
Port Townsend 19 9 10 19 — 57
Individual Scoring
Chimacum (51)
Cray 19, Eldridge 11, Moug 2, Brown 8, Glessing 1, Richardson 2, Riggle 5.
Port Townsend (57)
Thomas 19, Robinson 12, O’Brien 13, Hallinan 4, Thielk 5, DeBerry 4.
Girls Basketball Chimacum 32, Port Townsend 20
PORT TOWNSEND — Samantha Benner canned 11 points to lead the Cowboys over their archrivals Redskins in a nonleague showdown Monday night.
“That’s a game our kids really wanted,” Chimacum coach Mike Clarke said. “Our kids put a lot of importance in this game.”
Chimacum imporved to 6-6 overall. The Cowboys are 1-2 in the Nisqually League.
The Cowboys got a boost from Arlie Petrick, a 5-foot-10 senior who missed five games.
Petrick led them on the boards with nine rebounds.
Krista Hathaway and Brittany Nelson brought down seven rebounds each.
“We rebounded well,” Clarke said.
Petrick also scored six points.
“It’s just a confidence thing with our young girls,” Port Townsend coach Randy Maag said.
“When you hold the other team down to 32 points, you should win. But we’re just having trouble hitting the basket.
“We did cut down on our turnovers and we passed the ball better.”
The Redskins play at Port Angeles tonight in an Olympic League game while the Cowboys travel to Seattle Christian for a Nisqually League contest Friday night.
Chimacum 32, Port Townsend 20
Chimacum 4 9 10 9 — 32
Port Townsend 2 4 10 4 — 20
Individual Scoring
Chimacum (32)
C. Nelson 3, Benner 11, Catillo 4, B. Nelson 5, Petrick 6, Hathaway 3.
Port Townsend (20)
Dowdle 2, Evalt 5, Russell 2, Little 2, Fox 2, Moug 5, Phillips 2.
Gymnastics Port Angeles at Winter Invitational
BALLARD — The Roughriders competed against seven other schools in the Washington Open Winter Invitational last weekend.
Several gymnasts placed in the event.
The meet was set up in two divisions, the Sochi division and the Vancouver division based on routine levels.
Port Angeles had McKenna Bukovnik, Chelsea Clearman, Emily Drake, Meleny Fors, Neeya Hansen, Jackie Johnson, Haley Love and Katelyn Noard competing in the Sochi division.
In the Vancouver division, the Riders had Allison Hodgin, Jayden Hoover and Cecily Schwagler competing.
In the Sochi division, Clearman placed 10th on vault with a 7.45 score and Bukovnik tied for fifth on vault with 7.8.
On balance beam, Clearman placed ninth with a 6.7. On floor exercise, Fors tied for 10th with a 5.8.
In the Vancouver division, Hodgin tied with six others for eighth place on vault with an 8.2, and Hoover also tied for sixth place on vault with an 8.25.
Schwagler placed 10th on uneven bars with a 6.3.
This was not a traditional meet in that each team had three athletes on each event rather than five, and each school had more than one team, so the Riders went against about 14 other teams total.
“It was a great opportunity to see our competition for sub-districts and districts,” Port Angeles coach Melanie Hyatt said.