Sophomore Jacob Lindstrom from Naselle was selected as WIAA athlete of the week for his solid performances on the basketball court, including scoring 40 points in one game.

Naselle’s basketball teams had many reasons to celebrate the past week in sports. One of the girls reached an impressive milestone and one of the boys earned statewide recognition.

Naselle’s Lauren Katyryniuk set a goal to surpass the 1,000-point mark in her senior year of basketball. She achieved that in the Comets’ 67-23 win over Columbia Adventist Academy last week.

Needing 27 points, she scored 29, while also adding six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

As well as celebrating that individual success, Coach Marie Green saw positives on both sides of the ball.

“The girls came out firing in the first quarter,” she said of the team scoring 24 points in the opening frame. “I loved seeing all the girls looking to shoot the ball. The girls did great crashing the boards. Bella Colombo was great on defense and picking girls tonight left and right.”

Colombo finished with 10 steals and Kaylin Shrives had 11 rebounds.

Celebrations didn’t last long. The clash with Willapa Valley was “a humdinger,” said the coach. The losing margin was 41-37.

“We led the whole way until the last 22 seconds when they tied the game [at 36]. In overtime, we just couldn’t convert,” she said.

Katyryniuk had 18 points and freshman Brooke Davis led in rebounding with 10. But shooting from the free throw line (2-15) and early foul trouble hurt the Comets, the coach said.

They bounced back against Winlock, winning 61-39. Katyryniuk put up 23 points and had 12 rebounds, and Colombo added 12 points and seven rebounds. “It was great to see Bella finding her rhythm again with her shot,” Green said. Davis again posted double figures in rebounding with 11, while Aubrey Katyryniuk grabbed seven.

NHS girls were to open the week hosting Pe Ell. The team concludes the regular-season schedule with the senior night doubleheader against Three Rivers Christian Feb. 2. The girls game tips at 6 p.m.

Player honored

Naselle boys had a loss and a win. They lost at fifth-ranked Willapa Valley, 70-30, before a weekend game at Winlock which ended with a 63-59 scoreline.

Sophomore Jacob Lindstrom earned recognition as a WIAA athlete of the week. The accolade honored his 40-point performance in the 85-53 win at Firm Foundation Christian in Battle Ground Jan. 17, in which he also tallied six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Two days later, he scored 11 points and had five rebounds, four assists and two steals in the Comets’ 63-53 loss at Mossyrock.

They planned to be on the road to face Pe Ell, a team they beat 60-46 at home, before the senior night doubleheader against Three Rivers Feb. 2. The boys game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Ranking

Ilwaco girls played two home games last week. They enjoyed a 54-38 win over Taholah, then defeated Ocosta by a 56-17 margin.

Recent successes helped secure them to a sixth-place state ranking by the WIAA, a couple of places ahead of Raymond. The Lady Fishermen were opening the week in Puyallup against Chief Leschi, a team they beat 73-49 early last month, before the last regular season home game, Feb. 2 against North Beach.

The WIAA basketball state rankings change frequently as win percentages, a key criteria, fluctuate. The Ilwaco girls are the only one of the four South Pacific County varsity squads to appear in the most recent top-10 lists. Wahkiakum boys were listed fourth in 2B and Willapa Valley boys fifth in 1B.

The Ilwaco boys won their game at Ocosta 67-55, a team they beat 65-51 earlier in the month. After a home game honoring the lone senior, captain Alex West, against Chief Leschi this week, the boys’ last regular-season game is a trip to North Beach Feb. 2.

Sub-Regionals

After hosting the “Beach Brawl” event Saturday, where four of the nine wrestlers finished in podium positions, the Ilwaco squad is about to hit the road again. Next Saturday they will participate in sub-regionals at Raymond. The top seven wrestlers in each weight class will advance to districts the following weekend.

From that meet, hosted by Kalama, the top five (and a sixth, as alternate) will qualify to the WIAA state championships to be held Feb. 17-18 in the Tacoma Dome. Senior Bethany Martin, the lone girl on the Ilwaco team, will compete at her upcoming Sub-Regionals at Hoquiam.