Wrangell’s high school girls basketball team has started the year at 0-4 after back-to-back losses at Metlakatla on Jan. 3-4. This is the second weekend in which the Wolves have dropped both games to their southern rivals, though this second round of games provided much more optimism for the young team.
In what will probably be the toughest stretch of the season, the girls basketball team not only faced up against the Southeast stalwarts of Metlakatla, but did so without Alana Harrison, who will likely be one of the team’s most critical players this season.
On Friday, the Wolves lost 19-52, though an improved Saturday showing in which Wrangell rebounded to a slightly closer 39-59 defeat will provide head coach Christy Good with enough positives to take into practices this week.
Friday started out rough. Metlakatla surged early, taking a 16-4 lead by the end of the first quarter. And though a gritty defensive second quarter contained Metlakatla to just six points, the Wolves lacked enough offensive output to put a dent in their rival’s lead.
After scoring just 10 second-half points, the Wolves fell on Friday by 33 points. Alexis Easterly continued to be the team’s most consistent scorer with nine points and Hailey Cook contributed five of her own.
On Saturday though, Wrangell appeared to retire their offensive woes. Easterly again led the team in scoring, this time with 12 points. Vanessa Barnes stretched the floor from beyond the arc, scoring three times from deep and Christina Johnson’s twin threes in the third quarter provided the Wolves with the dynamism they craved in the game before.
The Wolves lost by 20 on Saturday, due to a five-point fourth and a struggle to stop Metlakatla’s scoring salvo after the first quarter.
Up next, Wrangell will play at Petersburg this weekend. The first game will be on Friday, Jan. 10, with the second leg tipping off on Saturday, Jan. 11. The cheer squad will travel with the team.
The following weekend, the Wolves will host their second round of matches this season when Haines comes to town for matchups on Jan. 17 and 18.
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