Hoquiam races past Medical Lake, stops Cards return to state

Film can be deceiving and nobody knows that more now than Medical Lake head boys' head basketball coach Noel Hachtel.

Going on what they saw from video on the Hoquiam Grizzlies, the Cardinal coaching staff figured they had a solid game plan for their regional 1A state playoff game played last Saturday at Cheney High School.

Not so as it turned out, and Medical Lake lost 90-75 in a fast-paced loser-out game to the visitors from Grays Harbor on the state's far west side.

In watching video on the Grizzlies, Hachtel said they only had two players - Jack Adams and Jace Varner - who shot a high percentage. Adams was true to the scouting reoport with 34 points and Varner added 21 as was to be expected.

What was not seen: Jarod Steen's 17 points and the 11 more from Zach Spradlin, Hachtel said. Steen hit three 3s and Spradlin's ability to also strike from outside the arc with a pair of 3s, "We didn't see that in the film," Hachtel said.

"It was the points coming from other players that we didn't count on," Hachtel said were the unforeseen elements, and "Kinda' hurts," he added.

After the teams played a relatively conservative first quarter where Medical Lake led 15-12, Hoquiam turned on the jets and sped to a 27-16 edge in the second quarter, and a 39-31 halftime lead.

The Grizzlies never looked back because they never had to, following a 24-18 third quarter. It was fueled by an 11-3 Hoquiam run to start the second half as Medical Lake fell further and further back.

"We tried to fight back and it was like taking one step forward and two steps back," Hachtel said. "Obviously when we have Trent (Garza) not playing - he's a first teamer - that makes it even harder." Garza suffered a knee injury earlier in the playoffs and watched from the bench.

Medical Lake's offense was paced by Drew Hostetter's 19 points, plus 14 more from Nizhole Sherman and 13 from Jacquez Johnson, the only Cards in double figures.

"They played with heart, they gave it a championship effort, we just fell short," Hachtel said.

Hoquiam, now 16-7, shot 56 percent from the field and the Grizzlies were 38 percent from the 3-point line. Medical Lake took 70 shots in the game, shooting about 37 percent, "Which typically isn't bad - we were 9 of 36 from 3 - which hurts. We missed 11 layups and wide open shots," Hachtel said.

Hoquiam was 24 of 31 from the free throw line. "All those free throws came in the fourth quarter," Hachtel said. Medical Lake was 14 for 20.

Medical Lake finished the first season under Hachtel, far exceeding his expectations.

The goals before the season started were:

• Win eight games (they were 16-9).

• Average 50 points a game (they had

nearly 59). • Have two players

make the All North-

east A League team.

That final box was checked when seniors Garza and Sherman, earned first-team nods.

While Garza, Sherman, Joey Jasmer and Xavier Warmink-Butler all graduate, Hachtel likes the future.

"The group that's coming up is the group I started with," Hachtel said of some of the players who were on his C-Squad teams from three years ago. They have had records of 18-1 and 19-2 the past two seasons.

What lies ahead is the effort to change the culture, with Hachtel having his hand directly on the wheel following him being deployed with the U.S. Air Force last year at this time in Afghanistan.

That will include "a lot of camps," he said as the coaching staff tries to immerse a crop of eighth graders into the new way things are done.

Hachtel will also institute his "factory," and "build players," he said. "We're not going to compete, we're not going to play, we're gong to work on the fundamental things, the things that make an athlete," he added.

"My expectation was high (for this season), but it obviously was not what it's going to be for future teams," Hachtel said.

Cards’ Boxes

1 2 3 4 Total

Hoquiam 12 27 24 27 90

Medical Lake 15 16 18 26 75

Hostetter 19,Sherman 14, J.Johnson 13, Butler 9, Jasmer 7, Duran 2, Mason 4, Steege 4, Westfall 3.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].