Sequim’s 4-0 start and a No. 8 spot in the state’s first RPI rankings seemed to fade quickly last week after a 30-point loss at Port Angeles last week.

Sequim coach Greg Glasser asked his players to do a bit of “soul-searching” after seeing a small second quarter lead dissipate under a cavalcade of turnovers and big shots from the host Roughriders.

Port Angeles, behind Garrett Edwards’ 21 points, knocked off the Wolves 75-45 in the newest chapter of their long rivalry.

“We got taken out of our game (and) our emotions got the best of us,” Greg Glasser said.

Port Angeles held a 14-12 lead after one quarter but Sequim, behind a Payton Glasser 3-pointer and Nate Despain three-point play, jumped out to an 18-14.

But that’s when the Roughriders made a turn. In a matter of moments, a four-point Sequim lead was erased by a 15-0 Roughrider run. Colton McGuffey grabbed an offensive board and score. Liam Clark drive in for two. Edwards sank a short jumper. Kyle Benedict knocked down a pair of free throws. Clark hit a runner. Edwards, snagged an offensive rebound and put it back. Benedict sank a 3-pointer.

In that stretch Sequim missed four shots, turned the ball over four times and committed a flagrant foul.

Payton Glasser stopped the proverbial bleeding with a pair of free throws and a pair of layups that trimmed PA’s lead to 29-24, but Payton Schmidt slipped a pass to Easton Joslin for a 3-pointer just before the first half buzzer, pushing PA’s lead to eight.

Port Angeles, fueled by a pair of Edwards baskets and a Schmidt 3-pointer, went on an 8-0 run to open the third quarter.

Glasser, Cole Williams and Riley Cowan had baskets in an attempt to trim the Rider lead, but Andrew Borde knocked down a pair of long-range jumpers that increased Port Angeles’ advantage to a 51-30 lead after three quarters.

The Riders out-scored Sequim 24-15 in the final frame, sinking eight of their final nine shots.

“We won’t win a lot of games playing like that,” Greg Glasser said.

Payton Glasser led Sequim with 19 points and six rebounds. Nate Despain added eight points, three assists and three steals. Freshmen Michael Young and Erik Christiansen each sank 3-pointers in the final quarter.

Schmidt had 15 points for Port Angeles, hitting four of his eight 3-point tries. Edwards added a team-high eight rebounds.

Port Angeles out-rebounded Sequim 36-27 and hit nearly 50 percent (29 of 59) from the field, compared to just 34 percent (17 of 50) for the visiting Sequim squad.

Trojans triumph in Sequim

The Wolves kept it close for a quarter against the visiting Olympic Trojans, but their visitors from Silverdale were just too much to handle in a 73042 decision on Dec. 15.

Evan Turnquist led Olympic with 19 points while Brandon Barron and Jayden Moseley had 15 points each. The trio hit three 3-pointers each as Olympic shot 11-of-17 from long range.

Sequim (1-2 in Olympic League play, 4-2 overall) got 22 points from Glasser in 26 minutes; he’s now averaging 24.3 points per game.

Apart from Glasser, the Wolves shot just 8-for-32 (25 percent) for the game.

Cowan added six points and Despain had five.

Olympic improved to 3-1 in league play, 6-2 overall.

Win vs. West End

Sequim got a visit from a short-handed Neah Bay squad on Dec. 12, topping their West End visitors in a 67-36 rout.

Glasser shot 10-of-15 from the field and had a team-high 21 points in a little more than three quarters, while Despain had 13 points, six rebounds and six assists in the win.

Sequim shot 29-0f-52 (56 percent) and out-rebounded Neah Bay 34-15.

Erik Christiansen hit a pair of 3-pointers and fellow Sequim reserve Rigo Langston had six steals as the Wolves started the game on a 10-0 run and jumped out to an 18-9 lead after the first quarter.

The Wolves opened the second half by scoring the first three baskets and any shot at a Neah Bay comeback was essentially over when the Red Devils managed to hit just two 3s in the second half.

“In the first half we were a little sluggish, but we started to pick it up in the second half,” Payton Glasser said.

Kyler Rollness had nine points and four steals for Sequim.

Jaxson Hulttunan led Neah Bay with 14 points.

The Red Devils’ Cameron Moore and Keith Johnson missed the contest due to ankle injuries, and Sean Bitegeko, a Running Start student at Peninsula College, was waiting for word on his final quarter grades.

Looking ahead

Sequim looks to play under sunnier skies as they play four games in Honolulu, Hawaii, from Dec. 27-30.

The Wolves are back in action on the mainland Jan. 3 at Kingston and Jan. 5 at North Kitsap. Sequim hosts Bremerton on Jan. 9.

Michael Carman, sports reporter/columnist for the Olympic Peninsula News Group, contributed to this story. He can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.

Sequim reserve Cody Bell goes up high for a rebound in the waning moments of a 75-45 loss to Port Angeles on Dec. 13. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Keeshawn Whitney, left, and Nate Despan look to break Port Angeles’ defense down in a Dec. 13 league match-up. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim reserve guard Michael Young connects on a 3-pointer as Sequim coach Greg Glasser and fellow Wolves look on. Port Angeles’ Gary Johnson III (10) defends the play. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell