Sequim’s varsity basketball teams split their most recent games as match-ups with Port Angeles are set to start more league play in January.

Boys mount comeback against Bulldogs

During the last week of school before winter break, Sequim had its basketball games canceled on Dec. 16 due to high winds on the Hood Canal Bridge. The Wolves were scheduled to play Olympic with the boys in Sequim and the girls in Bremerton.

The next night, the boys varsity team was able to play in Lindbergh for a rematch of their Class 2A state regional round game last February where No. 9 Sequim edged No. 16 Lindbergh 44-36 in a loser-out, winner-to-state contest.

This game, Sequim put themselves in a position to pull off a road upset, heading to the fourth quarter tied 36-36, but the Eagles played through their 6-foot-7 star James Huff IV in the final frame, and Huff had seven of his 22 points in the fourth quarter.

“I am proud of how hard we played,” coach Craig Brooks said. “We did not shoot well at all and were tied going into the fourth quarter. Solomon [Sheppard] played well on offense and defense. Zeke Schmadeke was excellent on defense. They both took charges.”

On Dec. 19, the Wolves overcame a rough start and turned up the defense in the second half to overcome a double-digit deficit, beating North Mason 64-56.

The Wolves fell behind 8-0 until Mason Rapelje got Sequim on the board with a 3-pointer five minutes into the game. The Wolves scored just four points in the first quarter and trailed at halftime at 28-18.

Sequim got its offense going in the third quarter, scoring 23 points to get within 48-41 going into the fourth. In the fourth quarter, the offense and defense both clicked together as the Wolves went on a 21-3 to take command of the game at 62-51. They ended up outscoring the Bulldogs 23-8 in the fourth to run away with the eight-point victory.

“Mason, Solomon [Sheppard] and [Schamdeke] all played great,” Brooks said. “We struggled to score in that first quarter [but] played good defense in the fourth.”

Rapelje led the Wolves with 19 points. More importantly, his points came in the clutch, with 11 in the fourth quarter. He hit a 3-pointer to give Sequim a 49-48 lead with 6:30 left in the game. It was Sequim’s first lead of the night. He also shot 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the fourth.

Sheppard was right behind with 18 points, while Andy Reynolds had 10 points.

Sequim (2-1, 3-3) next plays Jan. 1-3 in the GESA Winter Shootout in Wenatchee against Sandpoint High School, Eastmont High School, and University High School. They return to Olympic League play on Jan. 6 at Port Angeles, and North Kitsap on Jan. 9.

Chartraw goes big for Wolves

Sequim’s Gracie Chartraw posted her second 31-point game of the season and the Wolves overcame a size disadvantage in an Olympic League win over the Bulldogs on Dec. 18 in Belfair.

“The girls played good defense and looked to attack the basket,” coach Joclin Julmist said. “We were undersized, but the girls worked hard on both sides of the court. Hailey [Wagner] worked hard defending their post players.”

Chartraw added seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Jordyn Julmist posted 12 points, eight rebounds, four steals, two assists and a block, while Kaiya Robinson swiped six steals and added six points.

On Dec. 23, the Class 1B Red Devils ran past the Wolves with a 77-43 win in Sequim.

“They are a really good team. Our girls played hard, but they shot the lights out,” Joclin Julmist said.

Q Greene led Neah Bay with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal, and Cerise Moss hit 5-of-9 3-point shots and scored 17 with three rebounds for the Red Devils.

Chartraw led Sequim with 29 points and four steals.

“Gracie played well looking to take the ball to the basket,” Joclin Julmist said.

Jordyn Julmist added five points, six rebounds and recorded three steals and two blocked shots.

The Wolves (2-1, 3-3) visit rival Port Angeles on Jan. 6 and host North Kitsap on Jan. 9.

Wrestling takes on Hammerhead

More than two dozen Olympic Peninsula wrestlers, including Sequim boys and girls, competed Dec. 19-20 in the prestigious Hammerhead Invitational in Bremerton at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion.

Sequim’s Aiden Glenn led the Wolves for the boys at the meet going 4-2 at 175 pounds.

He pinned James Freeman of Bainbridge in 27 seconds and followed that with an 11-0 major decision over David Ryland of Vashon Island. He made two more pins at the meet, including one in 4:45 over Adam Wheaton of Puyallup and Jonah Mednick of Ridgefield in 1:57.

Teammate Max Silvilli went 2-2 at 285 with a pin in 3:11 over Carter Jamieson of Bremerton, and a 6-4 decision over Eric Portillo of Camas.

A few other boys wrestlers included wins: Brandon Bair recorded a pin at 106 pounds, Finn Jones (126 pounds) earned a pin in 1:22, Ryan Spelker (138) won by an 8-7 decision, Johnny Vilona (144) won by injury default, and Riley Downs (150) won with a pin in 3:15.

For the Sequim girls, Storey Snow at 125 won with a technical fall (17-0) over Lilly Snead of Woodland, and Makenzie Labbe at 140 pounds won a match with a pin in 1:47 over Maddie Radeke of Olympic.

The Wolves will compete next on Jan. 3 at the Battle of the Axe in Port Angeles.

Photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Gracie Chartraw drives against Neah Bay opponents on Dec. 23 in Sequim. The Wolves lost 77-43 with Chartraw scoring 29 points for Sequim.

Photo courtesy Marcie Lammers/ Aiden Glenn (175) works his way to a pin over Adam Wheaton of Puyallup at the Hammerhead Invitational in Bremerton. Glenn was the lone Sequim wrestler to advance to Day two of the tournament and came within one match of placing.