By NATHAN WHALEN
Special to The Record
With the holiday season ending, South Whidbey’s basketball and wrestling teams are heading into the final stretch of the season, hopeful to make a run in the postseason. Coaches for South Whidbey’s winter sports teams shared their thoughts on the winter season.
Boys basketball
With a 5-2 record (2-2 in Emerald Sound Conference), South Whidbey’s boys basketball has seen a different leading scorer in its games to start the season.
“It’s a junior-heavy team, a few of these guys have been playing varsity for two years,” coach Johnathon Britz said. “We like to run up and down the floor and pressure.”
South Whidbey has lost a couple of close games — against University Prep and Bush School – and the team played with good energy throughout the season, said Britz, who is in his first season coaching the boys varsity team.
He said the basketball team doesn’t have a number one player and everyone contributes. “We’re a deep team. We play 10 guys,” Britz added.
Captains for the Falcons are Robbie Sullivan and Cameron McGill. Sullivan is a vocal leader who encourages teammates while McGill brings intensity and the team feeds off that, Britz said.
South Whidbey won its division in the Emerald Sound Conference last season with a 6-0 division record and an overall record of 12-8. The Falcons were eliminated in the first round of the Emerald Sound Conference tournament last season.
The Emerald Sound Conference sent three teams to the 1A state tournament that took place in February and March.
“Our goal is to be a better team in February than we are now and make the state tournament,” Britz said.
A couple of the prominent games coming up are a pair against Overlake, which take place Jan. 7 at home and Jan. 17 at Overlake.
“Those games will be a test,” Britz said.
South Whidbey’s schedule resumes after the holiday break when the Falcons host Friday Harbor Jan. 2. The game begins at 1:45 p.m.
Girls basketball
South Whidbey’s girls basketball team is fielding a younger team, and the early part of the season sees the Falcons with a 2-3 record.
Coach Josh Coleman, who is in his first year coaching the girls team, said they have one returning senior, Maddy Muniz.
Coleman added the team is a committed group of athletes who have played in spring and fall leagues.
“We’re a team mostly of sophomores and freshmen. We’re learning a lot and have a tough schedule,” Josh Coleman said.
The Falcons have a busy holiday break. They’re traveling to Bellingham after Christmas, where they will play three games at a tournament in Bellingham.
Muniz, sophomore Ali Young, and sophomore Jolene Coleman are team captains. Josh Coleman said the captains help organize team dinners. “At practice, they hold each other accountable and hold themselves accountable,” he added.
The Falcons have a challenging game against Lummi Island scheduled during the tournament in Bellingham. Coleman said two upcoming games against Overlake, which take place Jan. 7 and Jan. 9, will also be a good litmus test for South Whidbey.
The Emerald Sound Conference sent three teams to the 2025 state tournament. Kings eventually placed second in the state tournament last season.
Josh Coleman said the team wants to be competitive throughout the season and “continue to grow and build a culture of working hard, showing up every day and having fun.”
South Whidbey’s next home games take place Jan. 6 when the Falcons host Vashon Island and Jan. 7, when they host Overlake.
Boys and girls wrestling
South Whidbey’s boys and girls wrestling teams have been busy on the weekends competing at tournaments in addition to participating in matches during the week.
Despite repeated attempts at contact, Coach Nathan Welever declined to comment on the boys and girls wrestling teams and their performance during the early part of the season.
The boys team has competed several tournaments including the Bellingham Duals, East Jefferson Invite, Royal Class and the Mount Baker Invite, as well as matches against Oak Harbor and Friday Harbor. The girls wrestling team competed in the Bellingham Duals, Mariner Holiday Classic and Royal Classic.
The roster shows South Whidbey’s boys team has 22 wrestlers with four seniors and the girls team has 11 wrestlers with three seniors.
The previous season saw South Whidbey send three girls and five boys to the state tournament. The Falcons are returning several wrestlers who qualified for state last season including Dylan McKnight, Beckett Walsh, Hayden Baker, Owen Walker, Josie Ploof and Logan Schnobrich.
The boy and girls next home match takes place Jan. 8 when they host Vashon Island.
Boys Swimming
South Whidbey has two boys, senior Jack Hempel and freshman Mason Slattum, competing in swimming. They practice and compete with the Kamiak swim team in Mukilteo.
Kamiak swim coach Chris Erickson said Hempel qualified for state in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle during a meet Dec. 9 between Kamiak, Glacier Peak and Snohomish.
Kamiak’s next home meet takes place Jan. 8 when the Knights host Lynnwood.
