SNOHOMISH — Mount Vernon’s nearly brand new varsity boys’ basketball roster got its season off to a strong start.
The Bulldogs rallied late for a 52-49 non-conference victory Tuesday over Class 4A perennial power Snohomish.
Ray Walser, the lone holdover from last year’s team, led the Bulldogs with 18 points. Michael Acode added 11, including the go-ahead layup with 20 seconds remaining. He and Travis Denham each hit a free throw down the stretch to ice it.
“It was a good win,” Bulldogs coach Torey Swanson said. “It was fun to watch them improve throughout the game. We started off slow. We faced adversity, and could have folded three or four times and they kept fighting.”
Jordan Lee had 10 points and five assists. Mount Vernon rallied after scoring just four points in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs trailed for most of the game until the final 20 seconds.
Christian Faith Eagles 51
La Conner Braves 45
LA CONNER — Jeremy Vander lei had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Brandon Willey added 10 points for the Braves in the season-opening, non-league loss.
“We have a young team,” Braves coach Scott Novak said. “For the first game out, it could have been better, but we played solid at times. In the second quarter we kind of established the way we want to play, got the shots we wanted.”
Girls’ Basketball
La Conner Braves 43
Chief Leschi Warriors 11
LA CONNER — The Braves held Chief Leschi to two points in the first half of the non-league, season-opening victory.
Kelsey Kennedy led a balanced Braves attack with nine points. Lauren McClung added eight.
“From the standpoint of getting out, getting up and down the floor and playing another team, that was the best part,” Braves coach Scott Novak said. “It gets tougher from here on out.”
Coupeville Wolves 41
Concrete Lions 31
COUPEVILLE — Tasha Smith had 10 points and eight rebounds and Kelsey Barnett and Taylor Lee each had eight points for Concrete in the season-opening loss.
Assistant coach Matt Williams said the Lions got good defensive play from Lee, and noted that the team shut out Coupeville for the game’s final 41⁄2 minutes.
“That’s something to build off of,” he said.
