Bellingham might have won the coveted spirit award at the annual fun-filled BellingHome Battle, but it was the visiting Sehome girls and boys basketball teams that won the battles on the court Thursday night, Jan. 30.
In the opener, the Sehome girls saw Bellingham completely erase the Mariners’ early double-digit lead with a wild fourth-quarter comeback, but Sehome scored five of the last seven points in the final 65 seconds to hold off the Bayhawks, 34-31.
The victory was Sehome’s second in a row after four losses and it raised the Mariners’ overall record to 7-11 and their Northwest Conference mark to 5-8. The loss dropped the Bayhawks to 5-11 overall and 2-9 in league.
In the nightcap, the Sehome boys rallied with a 22-point fourth quarter to upset the Bayhawks and end an eight-game losing streak, 54-51.
With the win, the Mariners improved to 5-13 overall and 3-10 in the NWC. Bellingham fell to 8-10 overall and 6-7 in league play.
In addition to the action on the court, the two schools had their annual spirit competition that included cheer staffs, dance teams, banner reveals, a fashion show, and even a trivia contest. The schools also collected money as part of the NWC’s Coaches Versus Cancer program that supports cancer survivors and research.
Abigail Morell and the Bayhawks battled to the end.
Sehome Girls Beat Bayhawks In Thriller, 34-31
In a tight defensive struggle, Sehome’s nine-point halftime lead looked like it would be more than enough after the Mariners held the Bayhawks to only 10 first-half points. But the Bayhawks whittled the margin to six in the third quarter and closed to within two with five and a half minutes left.
Then came what seemed to be the turning point, when Sehome’s biggest offensive threat, sophomore Kate Schroeder, crashed to the floor going after a loose ball. Surprisingly, she was called for her fifth foul — not that it mattered because she left the game with a concussion.
“That was a big blow,” said Sehome coach Kim Stensgar. “She is one of our leaders and was having a good game. But the kids rallied together. They wanted to win it for her.”
Without Schroeder, the Sehome offense stalled, scoring only two free throws over the next four minutes and when Bellingham senior Malia Hanks hit a shot from the corner, the game was tied at 29 with 2:35 to play.
But while the Sehome offense was struggling, its defense turned it up a notch. With 6-foot-1 junior Aspen Barge blocking any shots in the paint and the Mariners’ pressure zone disrupting the passing lanes, Bellingham only managed two more points.
Sehome, meanwhile, took back the lead with 65 seconds left when sophomore reserve Sadie Gustafson scored on a fastbreak. Then it was time for clutch free throws and sophomore Stella Hogan, freshman Taylor Turrell, and Barge each hit one to close out the scoring and end Bellingham’s comeback.
“We knew they could play with us,” said Stensgar. “(Bellingham coach Ken) McLendon is putting them in a position to win games. But we kept our composure.”
The Mariners took control of the game with a 19-10 first half thanks mainly to their defense and Schroeder’s offense. When she left the game, she had more than half of Sehome points, finishing with 15. Turrell and Barge each finished with 6 points for the Mariners.
“A lot of people were nervous,” said Schroeder of the playoff atmosphere in the Bellingham gym. “No one (on Sehome’s squad) has really played much varsity. But we really wanted to beat them. We were getting frustrated, but we still came together … and we won.”
For Bellingham, which has been on the losing end of the BellingHome rivalry recently, there was still a lot to be proud of.
“We talked about playing with heart and fight and determination,” said McLendon. “They kept battling. It was a team effort.”
Sophomore Merritt Jensen led Bellingham with 9 points and junior Mary Lockhart had 7 points and was 4 for 4 from the line during the fourth-quarter comeback.
To show how important this game was for his girls, McLendon praised four-year veteran Hanks for her postgame words to the team.
“She was in tears because this was her last (Bellingham-Sehome game),” the coach said. “She said she was so proud of the team.”
Hanks confirmed what happened — mostly.
“I was so proud of how we fought back,” said the senior, when told what her coach had said. “We continued to fight and left it out on the floor. But I was not in tears … although I was definitely emotional.”
It’s been an emotional ride for Stensgar, too, and not just on the court.
“This season has been so tumultuous; it’s been really challenging,” said the Sehome coach. “We’ve played a lot of close games, so it was nice to win one when it could have gone either way.”
Bellingham has one more game this week, hosting La Conner in a non-league contest on Saturday, before both the Bayhawks and Mariners wrap up the regular season next week.
Sehome is at Squalicum on Wednesday, and hosts Burlington-Edison next Saturday. Bellingham is at Blaine on Wednesday, then finishes the week at Meridian next Friday.
Both automatically qualify for the Class 2A District 1 tournament, which begins on Feb. 10.
Sehome 34, Bellingham 31
Sehome 12 7 6 9—34
Bellingham 5 5 9 12—31
Sehome: Gustafson 4, Schroeder 15, Turrell 6, Barge 6, Panagos 2, Madera, Hogan 1.
Bellingham: Jude 3, Ask, Manning, Hanks 5, Ruano 4, Lockhart 7, Green, Morell, Jensen 9, E. Holland 3.
Joe Harward (11) and the Bayhawks couldn’t stop the Mariners.
Sehome Boys Overtake Bayhawks In Fourth Period, 54-51
Much like the seasons for both teams, the game was a rollercoaster ride. Sehome scored the first seven points of the game, but Bellingham closed the half on a 27-9 run, and when junior Joe Harward hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, the Bayhawks led, 29-19 at the half.
Bellingham’s chilly third quarter then let the Mariners close to within six, and after a 16-2 run, Sehome led by eight after Nolan Wright three-point play with 2:21 left in the game. Bellingham came back with two Harmon Wienkers 3-pointers to cut Sehome’s lead to 48-46 with a minute to go.
But the Mariners never surrendered the lead. Wright scored on a drive, junior Cole Turrell hit one free throw, and sophomore Quincy Tanovan hit three clutch free throws. Bellingham countered with senior Gabe Van Hofwegen’s 3-pointer with 11 seconds left and a Wienkers layup at the buzzer, but it was too little too late.
“It’s been a weird year with all they’ve gone through,” Sehome coach Brad Jackson said of his Mariners. “To their credit, they fight and they battle. We hit big shots at big times to get back in the game. We tried to focus on attitude and effort. I was really pleased with the effort, especially on defense.”
Hitting the biggest shots for Sehome was Wright. The junior guard was fearless driving to the hoop with nine of his team-high 19 points coming in the fourth quarter. He also was 4 of 4 from the line and said he enjoyed the pressure of the packed gym.
“This is the best rivalry there is,” he said. “This is the most people I’ve played in front of. If we beat Bellingham, it’s a milestone for sure. Tonight we started hot, then made some mistakes, but we came together. It shows the heart of the team.”
Joining Wright in double figures were Turrell with 15 points and Tanovan, who had six of his 10 points in the crucial fourth period. Junior Xavier Kelley also added 8 points and 13 rebounds.
Bellingham coach Brad McKay praised Sehome’s clutch shooting but was disappointed with the Bayhawks, who have lost six of their past seven games.
“Give them credit,” McKay said of the Mariners. “They made some shots, and we didn’t. In the fourth quarter, we’d give up a shot when we needed stops. Offensively, you have to be able to answer, and we didn’t.”
Harward led the Bayhawks with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists; Wienkers had 13 points and the senior made three of Bellingham’s nine 3-pointers. Senior Kincade VanHouten added 6 points on two 3s but was the only other Bayhawk with more than three points.
Still, Harward tried to look at the positive, which on Thursday was the spirit-filled atmosphere surrounding the long-time city rivalry.
“It’s one of a kind,” the junior guard said. “You look forward to it throughout the year. I had so much fun. It’s the best game of the year. It’s insane. I just wish we had won it.”
Sehome coach Jackson agreed: “The atmosphere was phenomenal. This is the kind of game that can turn a season around.”
Both teams will finish their regular season next week on the road. Bellingham is at Burlington-Edison on Wednesday and at Meridian on Friday, while Sehome is at Squalicum on Wednesday and at Burlington-Edison on Saturday.
Both automatically qualify for the Class 2A District 1 tournament, which begins on Feb. 11.
Sehome 54, Bellingham 51
Sehome 13 6 13 22—54
Bellingham 12 16 10 13—51
Sehome: Wright 19, Jackson, Tanovan 10, McAtee, Kelley 8, Mitchell 2, Turrell 15.
Bellingham: Wright 2, Isaly, G. Van Hofwegen 3, Harward 22, C. Van Hofwegen 6, VanHouten 2, Singh 3, Wienkers 13.
