PE ELL — It was far from a usual first half for the Pe Ell High School girls basketball team.
Even after scoring 15 unanswered points in the opening quarter, the Trojans waltzed their way into the locker room only up 12 on Wahkiakum. A miniscule number for a team that has been a buzzsaw in their opponents’ path throughout the winter.
“We adjusted the offense and our defense stepped up to the game,” Pe Ell head coach Kelsey Lennox said.”We didn’t come out with our heads down. They came out ready to play.”
The Trojans returned to form in the second half on both sides of the court in outscoring the Mules 27-6 and securing a 50-17 Columbia Valley League victory on Tuesday night at Pe Ell High School. Twenty of those points came in the third quarter alone.
And the prize afterwards was a decade-plus in the making.
Pe Ell (17-0, 9-0 CVL) claimed its first league title since the 2013 season. Lennox, the interim coach last season and now in her first full year at the helm, beamed with joy as the final buzzer sounded.
Plus, Lennox is an alum of the Trojans.
“Just to see the growth from last year to this year, how well they play together and work hard, they never give up,” she said. “It is awesome to see that accomplishment.”
Karli Phelps and Peyton Zock did most of the damage in the third stanza, each scoring six points. Pe Ell was lively on defense and turned turnovers into drawn out possessions that led to buckets.
Wahkiakum (9-7, 7-2) didn’t score in the third until the final 30 seconds ticked off the clock.
“We’re going to play harder teams in the future and we need to get a look into that,” Zock said.
The 6-foot-2 junior post was held in check in the opening eight minutes. Once the Trojans fed the ball down low to Zock, her frame and height made life difficult for the Mules.
She missed just one field goal the rest of the way. Zock finished with a game-high 16 points and nine rebounds.
“For someone to be able to stop me, our team hasn’t been used to that,,” Zock said. “We are confident, but not cocky. Playing it game-by-game.”
Phelps added 12 points while Emma Kissner chipped in seven. Wahkiakum scored the first basket of the night, then Pe Ell connected on six field goals – half of them from beyond the arc to seize control.
Lennox felt this year was different from the tip-off of the Trojans’ season-opening win against potential Class 1A state qualifier Rochester. They’ve allowed over 30 points just four times and the closest margin of victory was 16 against Naelle.
“They set the tone for the season,” Lennox said. “We came out with energy, came out fast and quick.”
Now, with the No. 1 seed locked up for the District 4 tournament, Pe Ell will close the regular season at home on Thursday versus Columbia Adventist at 5:45 pm.
