Sports: Sequim boys basketball team launches season with new coach

SEQUIM — It doesn’t take long to hear what’s on new Sequim High School basketball head coach Matt Thacker’s mind; just sit around a team practice a few minutes.

Nearly every pick, pass and play is meticulously scrutinized.

Guard Josh Lindsey attempts a one-handed pass while running a fast break and coach Thacker quickly chides his senior play maker, “That’s the last one-handed pass you’re going to make all season.”

A young post decides to put the ball on the floor in a move to the basket and once again Thacker isn’t pleased.

“Whenever you get into trouble you have a tendency to put the ball on the floor,” Thacker said to his post.

“Whenever you think about doing that. . . do the opposite.”

From an outsider’s perspective, it may seem overwhelming, listening to Thacker critique and instruct his young team.

A closer look at the roster — minus leading returning scorer Chad Wagner, who is out for the season with a torn ACL — that boasts only two returning lettermen from last year’s 13-10 team, and a dearth of varsity experience, and it’s easy to understand Thacker’s nit-picking.

The preseason injury of senior pivot Wes Magwire — which was a re-aggravation of a football shoulder separation — only added to the immaturity of the Wolves’ camp.

“We’re trying to make an emphasis on getting our fundamentals right,” Thacker said.

“Certainly I’m very picky when it comes to small details and I want them done right, but I think it’s more that we’re a very unseasoned group right now.”

So right now Thacker is doing a lot of teaching, and team leader Ben Webb and the rest of the team is listening.

“He likes to tell us the little details really add up,” Webb said. “It makes sense, he knows what he’s talking about.

“So we just need to change, do it his way and in his system.”

What that means is a lot of running and working, especially on the defensive side of the ball — the side Thacker said has always been his focus.

More in Sports

Rivers Journey Guide Service
Forks guide Caylen Phegley caught and released this steelhead buck to start the 2023-24 winter steelhead season.
OUTDOORS: Winter steelhead meeting set Wednesday

Returns on Hoh River hit records in 2023-24

Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group 
Sequim’s Lars Wiker, with ball, is tackled by, from left, Forks’ Gage Willenbrink, Bubba Hernandez and Sawyer Graham. Hernandez, Graham and Willenbrink were all honored in all-league voting by Class 2B Central League West Division coaches.
PREPS: Sawyer Graham, Bubba Hernandez lead Forks’ all-league football picks

Spartans comeback falls just short, one more shot at state

Kennedy Rognlien, Port Angeles girls soccer goalkeeper
PREP SOCCER PLAYOFFS: Riders give No. 5 Spartans all they can handle

PA loses 2-1 in penalty kicks but still alive in postseason

The Future Riders C team won the Olympic League championship late last month with a last-second victory. Back row, from left, are coach Nathan Hofer, Jonathan Ermineskin, Ashton Page, Seager Fowler, Jordan Billingsley, Damanson Sifagaloa, James Murray Jr., Cannon Delabarre, coach Josh Love, Jonathan Armenta, Duke Sifagaloa, Rhyder Murray, Paisley Johnson, Miles Philp, Coach Ryan Detorres, Camden Cox, Coach Lukas Cox, Joshua Shiepko and Ben Botero. From left, front row, are Dreyson Black, Alistair Hodge, Jackson Haguewood, Aaron Johnson, Dean Spurrier, Devin Gaines, Reed Lancaster, Levi Thompson, Kheeilan Murdock, Casey Goldsbury, Landyn Hutto, Donnie Fors, Kellan Detorres, TJ Goldsbury, Archer O’Leary and Liam Gilbert. (Courtsey of Denver Page)
AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Future Riders C team wins dramatic championship

The Future Riders C-Squad football team completed an unbeaten… Continue reading

Port Angeles quarterback Blake Sohlberg hands off to running back Dylan Mann on Friday night at Port Angeles Civic Field against Olympic. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP FOOTBALL RECAP: Area teams prepare for playoffs

This is the beginning of football playoffs this week with five local… Continue reading

Millie Long, left, and Kyrsten McGuffey, both of Port Angeles, won Great Northern Athletic Conference players of the week last week in basketball and football. (Kyrsten McGuffey (20) scored four goals last week and leads the GNAC with eight this season (Photos by  Stephanie Burgoon, Alaska-Anchorage and Imogene Eagan, Western Washington).
COLLEGE SPORTS: Port Angeles’ Long, McGuffey GNAC players of the week

Former Port Angeles Roughriders and Peninsula College teammates Kyrsten… Continue reading

Kedryn DeScala, Port Angeles soccer, and Luke O’Hara, East Jefferson football.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Kedryn DeScala, Port Angeles soccer and Luke O’Hara, East Jefferson football

Port Angeles girls’ soccer player Kedryn DeScala did her best this weekend… Continue reading