As the Mountlake Terrace High School girls basketball team nears the halfway point of the 2013-2014 season, spirit and spunk have propelled the squad to strong efforts and remarkable come-from-behind victories. But that emotion was missing Friday night in their match-up with Wesco 3A South Conference rival Shorecrest as the Hawks fell to the Scots 59-43 at Mountlake Terrace High School.

The results put Terrace and Shorecrest into a first place tie with Glacier Peak in the conference with all three teams sitting at 2-1 in league play.

After jumping out to a 14-8 lead early in the second quarter, the Hawks couldn’t hold down the Scots any longer. Using a big rebounding advantage and a strong inside game on offense, Shorecrest fought back to take a 25-17 lead into halftime. Terrace tried to comeback in the second half, but could never get closer than three points to the Scots.

Hawk Head Coach Zach Wilde was not only disappointed with the lost, but in his team’s effort. “A lot of it had to do with our heart,” said Wilde. “They played hard, but getting out rebounded like that. (Shorecrest is) athletic, but blocking out can do a lot of things. Trying to explain to them that it doesn’t matter how big you are or whatever. Rebounding is all about your heart and going out and doing it.”

Shorecrest enjoyed a big rebounding edge in the game and was also determined to get inside shots on offense; the Scots scored 44 of their 59 points from inside the paint.

Terrace used a full-court press to slow down the Scots early in the fourth quarter, but some key mistakes allowed Shorecrest to build their lead into double figures late in the game. “We had a couple turnovers, took a bad shot, and then (we would) go stand behind people and they would get wide open shots. That’s devastating to a team trying to make a comeback,” Wilde said.

The Scots used a balance scoring attack to defeat Terrace, with Onyie Chibuogwu leading the squad with 16 points. Keyonna Jones dropped in 13 points while Wurrie Njadoe added 11. Terrace’s Nikkie Forehlich was the only Hawk to reach double figures with 12 points.
The match-up was the first between Wilde and Shorecrest Head Coach Dori Monson, who Wilde served under as an assistant coach last season. “He’s a friend of mine, and I wish him all the best, but at the same time he’s an enemy of mine too now,” Wilde said.
Wilde and his squad will meet the Scots again in the next-to-last game of the regular season on Feb. 4 at Shorecrest High School.

MTHS Girls Basketball vs. Shorecrest, Jan. 3
Shorecrest 8 17 16 18 — 59
Terrace 11 6 19 7 — 43

MTHS individual scoring: Nikkie Forehlich 12; Shaian Pagaling 9; Maddy Kristjanson 8; Sam Romanowski 6; Kristy Dale 5; Riley Zucker 2; Amanda Tompkins 1; Kenzie Zehrung; Senaiet Zerom

Shorecrest individual scoring: Onyie Chibuogwu 16; Keyonna Jones 13; Wurrie Njadoe 11; Uju Chibuogwu 7; Jalyn Hizey 7; Lindsey Shattuck 3; Jazlyn Owens 2

Records: Mountlake Terrace 2-1in Wesco League, 7-3 overall; Shorecrest 2-1, 7-3

MTHS next game: versus Glacier Peak, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 7:15 p.m. at Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish

— Story and photo by Doug Petrowski