Sparts edged by Tomhawks before crushing Oak Harbor
By JOHN GALBREATH Sports Editor
Junior forward Jordan Taylor (right) was one of several players who energized the Spartan boys’ basketball team during last Thursday’s win over Oak Harbor. PHOTO BY JOHN GALBREATH | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
Although stunned by a heart-breaking loss to the Tomahawks of Marysville on the home court, the Stanwood Spartan quintet (4-2 in league, 4-6 overall) recovered quickly to pummel the Oak Harbor Wildcats 59-43 with solid defense and some enthusiastic play by several reserves that kept the upstart visitors at bay most of the evening.
A 12-2 run by M-P in the final 3½ minutes of the second quarter of last Tuesday’s game provided the Tommies with a slim margin they were not to relinquish the rest of the way. That narrow lead was in jeopardy the entire second half, but especially during the course of the final frame as the Tommies’ lead was never greater than four points.
The Sparts, behind a pair of free throws each from Zack Johnson and Jordan Taylor, actually knotted the score at 45 but were never able to regain the lead. A flurry of turnovers over the last six minutes increased the desperation amid alternating groans of frustration from the fans supporting their respective hoop teams.
Kale Schmidt’s theft of a wayward basketball resulted in a hard-driving lay-in that had the Spartans trailing just 51-49 with a minute left, but that was all she wrote as several missed shots closed out the hardfought contest.
“Well, that loss to Marysville-Pilchuck was a disappointment, to say the least,” agreed head coach Zach Ward. “We continue to be plagued by turnovers. Our letdown in the second quarter (in which Stanwood scored only seven points) was the difference in the game. We had a few guys in foul trouble that forced them to sit a majority of time, and that ended up hurting us in the end.”
Schmidt and Johnson both tallied in double figures — 19 for Schmidt and 14 for Johnson — while Drew Haugstad 6, Jordan Taylor 4, Mason Garcea 4 and Brock Reinecke 2 rounded out the scoring for the local five.
“On the other hand,” continued Ward, “I was happy with some of the chemistry we found in the Oak Harbor game. We had some guys come in and play very well in the second half. (Senior guard) Austin Cook and (6-foot-3 junior forward) Jordan Taylor did a great job bringing some much-needed energy off the bench. Also, Brock Reinecke and Kale Schmidt did an awesome job defending Oak Harbor’s leading scorer, Mike Washington Jr. He came in averaging 20 points per game, and we held him to six, which came on two three pointers in the first quarter,” Ward said.
Not surprisingly, it was Schmidt and Johnson, along with Drew Haugstad, who rushed out of the chute early in the game to help the Sparts build a first quarter lead.
Zack Johnson tallied 11 counters in the game’s opening frame, Schmidt sank two baskets in the waning moments of that first period , and Haugstad provided two key assists, a successful 9-foot, baseline jumper and a three-pointer to make it 21-16 after eight minutes of play.
The entertaining portion of the game came in the final stanza, however. While Reinecke and Schmidt continued to shut down the Harborites’ Washington, Cook, Taylor, Ryan Jamieson and Johnson excited the local fans with “get outta here” rebounds, pinpoint passing, frenzied team defense and a highflying alley-oop that brought the rooters to their collective feet.
This group hustled, and it showed, as a 40-35 lead became a 15-counter margin just four minutes later. Taylor’s seven points dovetailed nicely with Cook’s two steals (and nearly a third), a pair of gifters, a rainbow trey and a near-perfect pass to a fastbreak-leading Schmidt for a successful one high off the glass.
Their play energized the local round-ballers like few actions have this season. And it was sure fun to watch.
High-point honors went to Zack Johnson, who had a solid 18 points and 12 rebounds. Taylor, with a career-best 12 counters, Schmidt 11, Cook 7, Haugstad 6, Jamieson 3 and Garcea 2 provided the rest of the team’s 59 points.
The Spartans have three games this week. Tonight, Tuesday, Jan. 12, Snohomish will play here. Tomorrow night, Wednesday, Jan. 13, Zach Ward’s squad travels to Cascade. Friday night, Jan. 15, will feature the Everett Seagulls here.
“In addition there will be a special promotion as we are doing a Coaches vs. Cancer awareness night,” concluded Ward.
