River Guggenbickler (33) lobs one for two points just over the outstretched hands of Metlakatla's Coleton Hayward during Friday's junior varsity game. The Wolves won 39-30 after making a second-half comeback.
In its last home games of the 2016-17 season, Wrangell High School took on a pair of losses against visiting Metlakatla.
In Friday evening's games, the junior varsity boys opened with a win over the Chiefs. The Wrangell boys recovered from a 12-point deficit in the second quarter, closing that to nine by the half at 15-22. The JV Wolves then took the offensive, racking up 12 points per quarter while holding Metlakatla to only eight the whole half. The game wrapped up in a 39-30 victory for Wrangell, and Trevor Miller led his team for points with 14 scored, including two three-pointers.
After a tribute to retiring coach Ray Stokes (see adjoining story), the varsity boys played a very tight game against the division's number-two team Metlakatla. Wrangell briefly took the lead during the third quarter, but the Chiefs remained one or two steps ahead through most of the game. They finished with a 58-51 win over the hosts.
The Wolves benefitted from 20 free throw attempts, of which they made 14. Nine of these were made by Trent Stokes, who led the team for points overall with 20 scored.
The next day, Wrangell's JV played another tight match with the visiting Chiefs. Though outnumbered, the Metlakatla squad built a powerful 13-point lead in the third quarter, holding Wrangell to just two points during that eight minute stretch. Despite picking up 21 points in the final quarter, Wrangell was unable to overtake them and finished with a close 39-43 loss.
Skylar Lofftus and Kellan Eagle together led the team for points scored, with eight apiece. Lofftus also sank four of six attempted free throws during the second half.
The varsity boys on Saturday had a blistering first half, with Metlakatla leading 41-16. That lead was further built on into
the third as the Chiefs maintained possession and dropped baskets. Despite a late-game comeback
of 27 points, Wrangell
finished in a 57-75 loss at the final buzzer.
Wrangell's players made about a third of its attempted shots throughout the game, while Metlakatla was shooting around 49 percent. Though fouls continued to dog the Chiefs for given throw attempts, that only translated into 12 extra points for the Wolves. Trent Stokes again led the team for points, with 22 overall and four of six free throws.
The team next heads up to Haines this weekend, playing games on the way in Juneau yesterday and this evening.
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