Girls basketball: Wolves’ win streak sets up title tilt with PA

The one team that gave powerhouse Port Angeles a scare this season will get a second chance.

Sequim’s girls basketball squad powered its way through its two postseason games on June 5 and June 7 to set up n Olympic League final at Port Angeles on June 9.

The Wolves, riding an eight-game winning streak into the postseason, picked up where they left off with a 66-17 rout of Bainbridge Island on June 5.

Sequim built a 48-8 lead by halftime and cruised to the win — a far cry from the 69-57 SHS win from earlier this season.

“Last game we really didn’t get into a groove (but in) this game we were just on, together, offensively and defensively,” Sequim coach Linsay Rapelje said. “Once we were up a little bit, they were defeated.”

Jayla Julmist, who played the first half but just a few seconds in the second half to nurse an injured knee, still managed 12 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks, while sister Jelissa added 12 points and six rebounds.

Melissa Porter led all scorers with 23 points to out-score the Spartans on her own.

Port had always been a talented player, Rapelje, but the Sequim coach said the senior has taken it to a new level this season.

“I think she just realized at some point how good she is,” Rapelje said of Porter.

Hanna Bates had eight assists, several coming on long passes to a streaking Porter.

“Her court awareness, she’s like a real point guard; she’s always had that” Rapelje said of Bates.

Jolene Vaara and Amanda Weller were sparks off of the bench, the Sequim coach said, with Weller pulling down eight rebounds and Vaara contributing three rebounds, three assists, three steals and five blocks.

Sequim (11-1) followed with a 70-61 home win over Kingston in the league tourney semifinal on June 7.

Bates earned Rapelje’s player of the game honors with six points, six assists, seven steals and four rebounds. Jayla Julmist posted another double-double with 17 points and 20 rebounds, and Jelissa Julmist added 16 points and seven rebounds.

Porter had a ton of deflections, Rapelje noted, and attacked the hoop offensively for 16 points. The Sequim coach also had high praise for defense provided by Vaara (five rebounds, four steals) and Wiker (five rebounds, three steals).

The win set up a rematch this Wednesday at Port Angeles. The Roughriders (14-0), who knocked off North Kitsap 59-17, have routed opponents this season by an average win margin of 43 points. Sequim gave the Riders their toughest challenge, however, keeping the score tied through three quarters before falling to Port Angeles 67-58 on May 12.

Strong season closing

Sequim picked up a couple big wins to get momentum for the postseason, edging Central Kitsap 49-39 on June 2, and clobbering Olympic 71-39 on June 4.

“We struggled with finishing our shots this game … (and) we were also in early foul trouble and had to make adjustments to the calls,” Rapelje said following the CK match-up.

“Midway through the third quarter, I told the girls in a timeout that this game was all mental and they needed to dig deep and focus on the things they could control like tough defense and getting the boards. And they did.”

Jayla Julmist had 13 of her 17 points in the second half and added 12 rebounds, two steals and two assists. Jelissa Julmist, Rapelje’s player of the game, had great help defense and her own double-double with 11 points and 14 boards to go with four assists and three steals.

Porter had 15 points, four assists and four steals, and Bates “played great defense and extremely well with such tight coverage all game,” Rapelje said.

Kalli Wiker was in the spotlight two days later, racking up nine 3-pointers that broke the school record — held by Wiker herself and Art Green, now the SHS boys’ junior varsity coach — on the way to a 30-point night. She added 10 rebounds and six assists to the effort.

Porter’s tough defense and fast breaking gave her 17 points while Jayla Julmist added eight points and 11 rebounds in limited time. Jelissa Julmist added seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks wile Vaara added six rebounds, three steals and two blocks to pace the defense.

Box scores:

June 2 — Sequim 49, at Central Kitsap 39

Seq 11 12 15 11 — 49

CK 8 7 10 14 — 39

Scoring

Sequim — Jayla Julmist 15, Jelissa Julmist 11, Melissa Porter 15, Hanna Bates 4, Kalli Wiker 2

CK — Hailey Carroll 14, Amaya Saunders 12, Sophie Driskell 8, Leira Sincere 3, Jada Kapp 1, Sierra Richmond 1

June 4 — at Sequim 71, Olympic 39

Oly 11 9 13 6 — 39

Seq 25 10 19 17 — 71

Scoring:

Olympic — Jakyiiah Willis 13, Mailli Bode 9, Tayana Ignacio 8, Elisa Turnquist 7, Amy Godinez 2

Sequim — Kalli Wiker 30, Melissa Porter 17, Jayla Julmist 11, Hannah Bates 3, Taryn Johnson 2, Tarrah Stipe 2, Jolene Vaara 2, Amanda Weller 2

June 5 — at Sequim 66, Bainbridge 17

Seq 24 24 13 5 — 66

Bain 6 2 4 5 — 17

Scoring

Sequim — Porter 23, Jayla Julmist 12, Jelissa Julmist 12, Kalli Wiker 5, Hannah Bates 5, Jolene Vaara 5, Malory Morey 2, Tarrah Stipe, Amanda Weller

Bainbridge — Grace Colburn 8, Marcy Kingrey 4, Greta Chin 2, Ghadir Ramadan 1

June 7 — at Sequim 70, Kingston 61

King 12 11 19 19 — 61

Seq 15 17 24 14 — 70

Scoring:

Kingston — Ellee Brockman 23, Brianna Jorgensen 14, Kaylee Walker 13, Sierra Denning 5, Jayla Moon 3, Suzanne Skinner 3,

Sequim — Jayla Julmist 17, Jelissa Julmist 16, Melissa Porter 16, Kalli Wiker 10, Hannah Bates 6, Jolene Vaara 5

Sequim’s Jelissa Julmist drives to the basket for a layup in the first half of of the Wolves’ 66-17 playoff win over Bainbridge in June 5. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Malory Morey puts up a shot as she and the Wolves take on Bainbridge in a postseason opener on June 5. The Wolves won, 66-17. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim freshman guard Taryn Johnson looks for an open teammate in the Wolves’ 66-17 postseason-opening win over Bainbridge on June 5. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell