Falcons flutter to the finish / Boys basketball

A promising season came to disappointing end for the South Whidbey High School boys basketball team when the Falcons lost three straight lopsided games in the district tournament.

South Whidbey went a stellar 15-3 over the first 18 games of the winter, then things went sideways. The Falcons lost five of their final six games, including going 1-3 in the district tournament. South Whidbey’s three postseason losses came by an average of 36 points. In those games, the Falcons produced their three lowest offensive outputs of the season.

The final two setbacks were to teams they defeated earlier this year. South Whidbey fell to visiting Cedar Park Christian 64-23 Thursday, Feb. 13, and 70-37 to Nooksack Valley Saturday in Mount Vernon. The Falcons opened tournament with a 47-46 win over the same Nooksack Valley club Monday.

South Whidbey placed sixth at district; five teams advanced to the bi-district tournament.

No details of the Nooksack loss were submitted.

The one-sided home loss to Cedar Park Christian was unexpected; the Falcons and Eagles split a pair of close games during the regular season.

South Whidbey failed to score in the third quarter and trailed 10-7, 32-12 and 51-12 at the quarter breaks.

No Falcon scored more than the 5 points of Nick Young. Carson Wrightson and Sterling Patton had 4, Dexter Jokinen and Kole Nelson 3, and Luke Rookstool and Levi Buck 2.

Four Eagles scored in double figures, led by Justus Trout and Ryan Baker with 15.