Basketball season begins with homecoming losses

The Wrangell Wolves regular high school basketball season started up in Petersburg last weekend during the Vikings homecoming games.

During the weekend's opening game on Friday, the Vikings built on an early lead through the second and third quarters. In the fourth, the Wolves scored 17 points to their opponent's six, but were unable to catch up. Petersburg won with a final score of 44 to 29.

During the game, Bryce Gerald led Wrangell's team for points with eight scored. Garrett Miller followed with six points, scoring two shots from beyond the three-point line. Dawson Miller and Tyler Gillen each scored four points, Sam Prysunka three, and Jared Allen and Trent Stokes had two apiece.

"The kids were a little nervous, a little scared," recounted the team's coach, Ray Stokes.

During the second game held the following night, Stokes felt the team was more focused.

"They learned a bit about themselves," he said. "They can compete if they want to."

Wrangell dogged their hosts through the first three quarters, coming to within a point of each other by the start of the fourth. Free throws were the deciding factor of the game, with Petersburg sinking seven of 12 attempts in the last quarter. But Wrangell's players missed all four of its free throws, and the 14 points they scored did not quite bridge the gap. The Vikings ended with a close win, 53 to 47.

Blake Stokes led his team with an outstanding 27 points during Saturday's game, including two free throws. Gerald and Dawson Miller each picked up six points, Trent Stokes and Garrett Miller three, and Caleb Groshong with two.

Junior varsity players won both of their games against Petersburg's JV, defending an early lead taken during Friday afternoon's pairing and finishing 42 to 38.

The Wolves JV played an incredibly close game the next day, with scores tied at 24 at the half. The teams maintained their tie by the end of the third at 30 points, and Wrangell edged the win by one point in the final, 40 to 39.

"It went okay," Stokes said of the weekend.

The team has already seen some play preseason, participating in two tournaments and coming off with a win against the alumni team the previous weekend. Moving forward into the regular season, the coach felt players would need to develop a more balanced scoring attack, working on their free throw accuracy and attacking the basket more often.

The boys' next game will be at home this weekend, hosting Haines High School tomorrow and Saturday.