The Mount Si boys basketball team saw its 15-game winning streak come to an end in a 64-61 loss to the Woodinville Falcons in a Wes-King district playoff game on Feb. 15 at Bothell High School.
Mount Si head coach Jason Griffith said Woodinville played a great game. Woodinville’s Blake Glessner had a game-high 19 points and guard Cage Schenck scored 15 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter to secure the upset victory. Griffith said they were unable to guard Schenck in the second half.
“They hit big shots and their role players stepped up when they had to,” Griffith said about the Falcons. “We just didn’t play well.”
The Wildcats were set to face the Mariner Marauders in a loser-out game on Feb. 18 at Juanita High School at press time.
In the loss to the Falcons, the Wildcats were led by senior guard Tyler Patterson who had a team-high 17 points. Also scoring double digits was Bennett O’Connor (12 points), Jabe Mullins (13 points) and Hayden Curtiss (12 points and 11 rebounds).
The Wildcats got off to a quick start, taking a 10-4 lead, but the Falcons scored the final 10 points of the quarter to take a 14-10 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Falcons would take their largest lead of the game after Woodinville’s Glessner converted a 3-point play to make it 27-20 with 2:11 left in the first half. The Wildcats closed out the second quarter strong, going on a 6-0 run to cut the Falcons’ lead to 27-24 at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, the Wildcats regained the lead after Tyler Patterson gave Mount Si a 30-28 lead. Mount Si’s Jack Williams sent the Wildcats into the fourth quarter with a 40-38 lead after he beat the buzzer with a putback.
With the Wildcats holding a 48-47 lead, Woodinville’s Carson Noe hit a 3-pointer and drew a foul in the process. Noe made the ensuing free throw to convert the 4-point play and give the Falcons a 51-48 lead with 4:11 left.
With just under a minute remaining, Tyler Patterson hit his third 3-pointer of the quarter to knot the game up at 58. Woodinville answered right back, with Schenck putting the Falcons back up 60-58. The Falcons made four out of their five free throws down the stretch to secure the 64-61 upset over the Wildcats.
“We have to get back to the drawing board and play the way we’re capable of playing,” Griffith said. “Now, there’s no more redos. If you lose, you’re done.”
Griffith said he hopes the loss gives his team a dose of reality as it heads into a loser-out game. If the Wildcats hope to return to the Tacoma Dome, they will have to win back-to-back loser-out games
“They’re experienced kids,” Griffith said. “But at the same time, they’re facing some adversity they haven’t seen in two years.”
Mount Si guard Bennett O’Connor scored 12 points during the Wildcats’ 64-61 loss to Woodinville on Feb. 15 at Bothell High School. Benjamin Olson/staff photo
