1A/2A Boys Hoops: Beavers Lose Tight Battle With Grizzlies

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Tenino cut Hoquiam’s lead to three with 45 seconds left but couldn’t complete the comeback against the visiting Grizzlies in a 64-59 defeat at home Wednesday in 1A Evergreen Conference action.

It was an impressive battle for the 0-6 Beavers, who trailed by 22 midway through the third quarter and are still searching for their first win of the season. Due to season-ending injuries and COVID-19 quarantines, the Beavers are playing with just five varsity players and a collection of JV swingers and eighth graders.

“I couldn’t ask for more,” Tenino coach Joe Chirhart said. “We battled.”

The three eighth graders, all ball-handling guards, are talented, and for the second game in a row one of them led the Beavers in scoring.

Eighth grader Austin Gonia scored a team-high 17 for Tenino, while junior Takari Hickle added 14 and 6-foot-3 freshman Noah Schow chipped in 13.

“There’s a difference between shot takers and shot makers,” Chirhart said. “Austin is a shot maker.”

Sophomore Brody Noonan added eight points with 6-for-9 shooting at the charity stripe as the Beavers hit 23-of-30 foul shots as a team. Chirhart also praised Will Feltus, who provided a spark for the Beavers’ offense.

“Our goal is to continue to get better and I think we’re doing that,” Chirhart said. “Super happy with the effort.”
Tenino (0-6) will look to get one in the win column when it hosts Elma at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Bearcats Hold Off Wolves

W.F. West posted three double-digits scorers and the Bearcats were able to fend off Black Hills for a 69-58 road victory Wednesday in 2A Evergreen Conference action.



Senior Carter McCoy scored a team-high 19 points, sophomore big-man Soren Dalan added 16 and senior guard Gabe Cuestas contributed 12 points. 

Also scoring for the Bearcats were Cade Haller with eight, Dirk Plakinger had seven, Whalen Deskins four and Max Taylor with two.

W.F. West (4-1) travels to Olympia Thursday to take on Class 3A Capital in a non-league battle.

T-Birds Blow Past Warriors

Rochester had three players score in double figures but struggled slowing Tumwater’s offensive onslaught as the Warriors fell, 85-44, on the road in 2A EvCo play.

Caleb Vanderhoof led Rochester with 12 points, while Parker McAferty and Ben Clouse each scored 10.

Tumwater busted off a 17-0 run to start the game and never looked back. Meanwhile, the Warriors couldn’t find the rim and instead forced turnovers which led to fastbreak points for the T-Birds, Rochester coach Derrick Pringle said.

“We just couldn’t figure out what we wanted to do,” Pringle said.

The Warriors cut the lead to 14 in the third quarter and held it until the fourth, but the fatigue of playing from behind eventually wore them out and turned into a 41-point deficit. The T-Bird has 12 players score on the night.

Rochester (0-5) travels to W.F. West on Friday.