The Cashmere Bulldogs boys and girls basketball teams made the trip to Wapato on Wednesday night for a challenging pair of SCAC road contests after an unusual start to the week.
Both games were originally scheduled for Tuesday night, but a jackknifed semi-truck blocked Blewett Pass, delaying the Cashmere team bus. The Bulldogs were not involved in the accident and were forced to return home, with the games rescheduled for Wednesday evening.
Boys Battle State-Ranked Wapato
The Cashmere boys faced a tough Wapato squad that entered the night with an 8–2 record and a No. 8 ranking in the state. The Bulldogs struggled to find their offensive rhythm in the first half and went into the locker room trailing 27–19.
Cashmere responded with an inspired second half, scoring 43 points after the break and cutting the deficit to just six points with under a minute remaining. However, the Bulldogs were unable to get any closer, falling 68–62.
Senior Tom McDevitt led all scorers with 22 points, including 18 in the second half, to spark the Cashmere comeback. McDevitt also added five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Mac Carlson knocked down four three-pointers and finished with 18 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Senior Tobie Larson contributed eight points and eight rebounds, while junior Colton Stendera added six points and seven boards. Sophomore Jack Binger rounded out the scoring with four points to go along with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
With the loss, Cashmere falls to 5–5 on the season, with four of the Bulldogs’ five losses coming against teams currently ranked in the top 10 in the state.
Girls Fall to No. 6 Ranked Wolves
The Cashmere girls took on a highly ranked Wapato team that entered the contest at 7–1 and ranked No. 6 in the state in 1A. The Wolves’ relentless full-court pressure proved to be the difference, forcing 27 Cashmere turnovers in a 70–43 Wapato victory.
Wapato jumped out to a 41–22 halftime lead and cruised to the SCAC win in the second half.
Junior Addie Talley led the Bulldogs with 12 points while adding six rebounds, three assists, and four steals. Junior Gwen Ledesma followed with 11 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Senior Alyssa Soria knocked down two three-pointers and finished with eight points, a team-high eight rebounds, and three steals. Sophomore Juliana Boyd added six points, and freshman Addi Lyons chipped in four points and five rebounds.
Despite the loss, Cashmere remains at 7–3 on the season.
Next Up
The Cashmere boys will compete in the NCW Classic on Saturday, January 10th, when they face the Omak Pioneers at 5:00 p.m. at the Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee. Both the boys and girls teams will then travel to Zillah on Tuesday, January 13th, to take on the Zillah Leopards. The Zillah boys and girls squads are both currently ranked No. 1 in the state.
