Hyaks split home doubleheader, seek playoff positions

By SCOTT D. JOHNSTON

The North Beach Hyaks boys and girls varsity basketball teams finish their regular seasons this week with both squads in position to play loser-out playoff games early next week in Southwest District 4 class 2B tournament action.

The Hyaks hosted a girls and boys doubleheader Monday night against the Northwest Christian-Lacey Navigators, with the boys losing 62-53 and the Lady Hyaks delivering a dominant 49-23 victory.

First year girls coach Ron Tinnin said his “pretty young team,” with forward Mariah Vogler the only senior, “has shown flashes of brilliance, and played every team we’ve faced pretty tough, at times,” but has been inconsistent.

That was the case Monday as the Lady Hyaks dominated the first and third periods 19-5 and 16-5, and struggled in the second and fourth quarters. In what would be her last game at the North Beach “House of Pain” gym, Vogler lead a balanced offense with 14 points.

Boys head coach Larry Moore said his team, which will lose seven seniors, has been “a little bit up and down. They’ve always played hard and at times played really well, but they’re still trying to put it all together.”

Monday night, the Hyaks breezed through a 17-6 run in a 19-12 first quarter. But the Navigators bounced back to take a 30-26 halftime lead that the Hyaks could never overcome. Steven Sotomish had 19 points and Marcus Pope added 14 to lead North Beach.

Monday night’s action means the boys team will finish in either 5th or 6th place in the Pacific 2B league with a 6-13 overall record and one game remaining — at home against the South Bend Indians at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1.

If the Hyaks win next Monday, they will play again Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m., either against the 3rd or 4th place teams in Central 2B. The Lady Hyaks (5-14 overall) are locked into 7th place in Pacific 2B and have the league’s last playoff spot. They close out the regular season Wednesday night at South Bend.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, they have a first round district playoff game at the Adna Pirates (8-10), in 6th place in Central 2B.