Vashon boys race past Chimacum

The Chimacum Cowboys came to Vashon last Tuesday for a friendly interleague game. For the Pirates, this would be the last chance for them to hone their skills before Charles Wright hosted the Nisqually league opener Friday. It was only the second day of post-holiday school, and few students were in attendance at the game. The Dan Baker-led Pirate school band played a stirring “Star Spangled Banner” and then roused the home crowd with riffs and pounding drums to boost the team spirit from the cheer section.

When the game started, Ethan Danielsen took a pass from Casper Forest and hit a turnaround jump shot to start the Pirates’ scoring. The next time down the court, Forest hit a long 3-point shot as VHS took an early 5-0 lead. When the Pirates defended, Jahmiah Hoogen established strong position in the paint and secured almost every rebounding opportunity that came within his reach. The play after the rebound was proving a challenge, as the scoring for both teams the rest of the first quarter was slowed by turnovers and fouls. The score after the first eight minutes was knotted at 9-9.

Early in the second quarter, Pirate senior Langston Dziko was left alone 24 feet from the hoop. Danielsen got the ball to him and despite missing two previous long attemps, Dziko fired the shot and made the Cowboys pay for leaving him that open. Forest followed with a successful runner into the key, and Hoogen scored a lay-in from a Dziko steal. The half ended with the Pirates up by five, and the score at 23-18.

In the third period, Hoogen hit an early jump shot; Forest buried a long 3-point shot, and the Pirates marched to a 10-point lead. The Cowboys struggled to capitalize on open shots close to the basket, while Dziko sharpened his 3-point aim. Chimacum continued to leave Dziko open from long distance and he was happy to take advantage. Both Dziko and Forest were sizzling from this 3-point range, and they combined for the night to hit nine of 20.

The fourth quarter belonged to the home team as they outscored Chimacum 19-8 for the win. The final was 55-34. High-scoring players were Forest with 18 points, Dziko with 14 and Hoogen with 10.

The VHS junior varsity boys beat Chimacum 52-30. Vashon charged to an early lead with baskets from sophomore Will Gard, Sol Dehnert and freshman Jeremiah Bogaard. A first quarter lead of 15-6 was widened by Isaac Patchen rebounds that led to fast breaks by Bogaard and Gard and a halftime score of 31-15.

The high scoring players were Gard with 16 and Bogaard with 15 points. Patchen had nine rebounds, Dehnert had five and Hank Rogers secured three.

Vashon victory in league test against Charles Wright Academy

In the Nisqually League opener on Jan. 6, the Charles Wright Academy Tarriers marched out three players listed at 6 feet 5 inches, a much taller ensemble than the Vashon Pirates. Despite the height, though, the music made by the Tarriers would prove to be too flat, as VHS shot over their heads, draining threes all night long, stunning CWA 48-37.

Rhys Jennings hit his first two 3-point shots, followed by Tommy Delargy with

another as VHS raced to an early 9-7 lead and continued to push with an offense that swings the ball around the half-court until someone emerges on the edges of the 3-point arc. The Pirates led 29-20 at the half, generated by a balanced attack with six players hitting from downtown.

Early in the third quarter, from a Dziko pass, Danielsen spun around his defender and went up with a left-handed hook that found the bottom of the net. Forest hit from beyond the arc on the next time down the court and scored again with a layup after a steal. The score was now 39-22, and Vashon coasted to victory.

Forest led the scoring with 13, followed by Jennings with 12 and Dziko with 7 points.

In the boys’ junior varsity game, Vashon won 45-41, as junior Sam Briggs had 10 points and five rebounds. Gard added 10 points and freshman Bogaard had 9 points and four rebounds.

Seattle Academy escapes Vashon with win

The Seattle Academy Cardinals came to Vashon Saturday for a non-league game of these two 1A schools. The Cardinals boast three players at 6 feet 4 inches, and for the second night in a row, VHS faced a much taller team. Vashon fell 48-44 as it struggled to find open shots that were makeable against the ball-hawking Cardinal defense.

Neither team was shooting well, but Forest was scoring from everywhere. He was seven of 15 from the field and four of four from the charity stripe. With 22 points, he was the top scorer. Hoogen added 8 points, but the Vashon scoring mostly stopped there, as the Cardinal defense kept the inside free of Pirate shooters and VHS was cold from beyond the 3-point arc.

Seattle Academy boasted a quick-passing offense. The Pirates had their hands full, but were up to the task, as they kept the visitors from making a sustained run. The lead stayed within 5 points most of the night. The pace of the game was fast and furious, as the Cardinals played a tenacious defense that caused many Vashon turnovers. Vashon, too, could play defense, and disrupted the Cardinals, but ultimately could not keep them out of the paint, where short baskets added up to the close win.

Seattle Academy was led in scoring by junior guard Marcus Austin with 14 points and senior forward Jackson Doran with 13.

The Vashon junior varsity fell 40-35 to Seattle Academy in the earlier game. Both sophomore Gard and freshman Bogaard scored 10 points in a hard-fought game.

Vashon hosted Seattle Christian in a Nisqually league game Tuesday after press time.

Coming up, the varsity team will play an away game against University Prep at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The JV team will play at 5 p.m.

The teams will then travel to Kent’s ShoWare Center to take on the Tahoma High School Bears in the King Showcase at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16.

— Daniel Briggs is the father of a VHS boys’ basketball player.