Comet boys pluck Gulls feathers

Courtesy of Chinook Observer
By PHIL RAISTAKKAObserver corespondent

RAYMOND - The Naselle Comets boys won their second league game of the early season and will go into the New Year with a 2-0 Pacific League record. They are currently 4-2 overall, after a 59-42 win at Raymond Tuesday, Dec. 19. The Comets grabbed the lead early and ran to their decisive win.Two of their youngest players, freshman Austin Burkhalter and sophomore Conor Smith led the Comets with 17 and 16 points respectively. Austin added seven rebounds and Smith six boards. Junior Kyle Burkhalter, who has been averaging about 20 points a game, was in double figures for the sixth straight game with 10 points, plus he had six rebounds.The Comets scored in double figures in each of the first three periods and held the Gulls to single digit scoring in each of those quarters. Naselle led 13-8, 29-16, and 51-25 at the end of each of the first three periods. Naselle's breakaway quarter was the third period where they connected on 11 of 15 shots and out-scored the Gulls 22-9, more than doubling their lead over the home team. The Comets big lead allowed Coach Brian Macy to give his bench players some extended playing time.Naselle's shooting percentage was among the highest that they have shot this year (46 percent) and their defense, especially in the second half, effectively bothered the Gulls.Macy reported that Austin and Smith had breakout games for the Comets. Austin caused matchup problems for the Gulls and he got to the foul line a lot while Smith played a real balanced game. Macy said that the coaches were very pleased with the defense that the Comets played, especially in the third period.The Comets now enter the Vince Dulcich Tournament in Astoria where they open against the lightning-quick, veteran (10 of the first 12 players are seniors) Astoria Fishermen today, Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 8 p.m., following the Naselle-Astoria girls opening game beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Naselle boys will play their second game this Friday, Dec. 29, at 4 p.m. in the consolation game if they lose their first game, or at 8 p.m. in the championship game if they win their first game. The other two teams which will provide their second game opposition are Banks and Knappa.The Comets enter the New Year with an extremely tough first week, playing three of their strongest league opponents in four days, two of them away from the friendly confines of Lyle Patterson Gym. They travel to Oyhut for a make-up game with the North Beach Hyaks on Wednesday, Jan. 3, entertain the Willapa Valley Vikings at home on Thursday, Jan. 4, and travel to play the South Bend Indians on Saturday, Jan. 6. All three games are Pacific League games.

NASELLE (59) - Austin Burkhalter 17, Conor Smith 16, Kyle Burkhalter 10, Griss 5, Heagy 5, Sultemeier 2, Ray 2, Hines 2, See 0, Erickson 0;
Shooting: FG - 25-54 (.463).
FT - 7-14;
Rebounds: A. Burkhalter 7, Smith 6, K. Burkhalter 6;

RAYMOND (42) - Michael El 13, John Dickey 10, Gusdal 6, Xaysay 4, Lewis 2, Pedrazetti 2, O'Connor 2, Riggs 2, Guthrie 1, Montgomery 0, Choeung 0, Getchel 0;
Shooting: FG - 15-53 (.283).
FT - 12-18;
Rebounds: El 5, Dickey 5

The Comets JVs won the preliminary game.