Wrangell student Riley Blatchley and Vikings player Stone Morgan go head to head during Friday evening's boys varsity game in Petersburg. The Wolves started the weekend with a win, but finished it with an even split against their neighboring rivals.
The Wolves split a two-game tournament in Petersburg over the weekend during its regular season opener.
They weren't the team's first games of the year, however, with the Wolves taking part in the Clarke Cochrane Christmas Classic the week prior in Ketchikan. A bit closer to home last weekend, the players were not alone in making the jaunt over to Mitkof Island as dozens of local fans and supporters joined them in the stands when play began January 5.
"We had a lot of support," Wrangell coach Cody Angerman recalled. "Wrangell and Petersburg has always been a big rivalry," which tends to turn out bigger crowds.
Friday's varsity game began with the two teams evenly matched. Wrangell was able to take the lead offensively by the second half, and by the end maintained its lead over the Vikings with a 50-44 win. Angerman thought his team's biggest asset was its teamwork, with players supporting each other's efforts on and off the court.
Petersburg rebounded the next day, playing a more physical game than it had the previous evening. Wrangell kept close in terms of score, but the Vikings finished with a double-digit lead at 46-37.
"They played hard," said Angerman. "We got our first win out of the way, so that was nice. I think anytime we go to Petersburg, we'll take a split."
He continued: "I'm pretty happy with things so far. There's certainly a lot we need to work on and a long way to go."
The weekend's performance put the Wolves in a fair position within the division at the season's start, currently led by Metlakatla.
The team heads next to Craig for games tomorrow and Saturday, and will finally end its three-week travel streak the following weekend when Wrangell hosts Haines.
"I think the kids are looking forward to it," Angerman said.
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