TOP-RANKED GIRLS START 4-0

Becoming the state’s No. 1 target didn’t seem to rattle the White River High girls basketball team.

After being ranked No. 1 among Class 2A teams by the two largest daily newspapers in western Washington, the Hornets simply went about the business of destroying a pair of South Puget Sound League 2A foes.

Friday, White River hosted Fife and humbled the Trojans 63-9. On Dec. 4, it was a bit closer – a 28-poiont margin of victory – as the Hornets defeated Washington high 51-23.

Friday’s outcome was decided in nearly the blink of an eye, with White River racing to a 27-point outburst in the first quarter while allowing the visitors nary a point. The Hornets’ offense diminished in each of the following quarters, but it was still 44-2 at halftime and 56-4 after three quarters of play.

Ten White River players found their way into the scoring column, paced by Kennedy Hobert’s 17 points. The senior is leading the Hornet offense, averaging 19.5 points per outing.

During the league opener against Washington, White River used a 22-point second quarter to build an insurmountable 33-10 halftime advantage.

Hobert took game scoring honors with 18 points.

During their first four games, the Hornet girls – who claimed third-place honors during last season’s Class 2A state tournament – outscored their opponents 223-115, winning by an average of 27 points each time they took to the court.

BOYS OPEN LEAGUE PLAY WITH TWO WINS

The White River High boys won two of three games last week, including the first two contests of the South Puget Sound League 2A campaign.

The league conquests came Friday in the form of a 73-51 victory over Fife and Dec. 4 when the Hornets prevailed 60-43 over Washington High. Those were sandwiched around a Dec. 5, nonleague loss to the visiting Capital Cougars.

The two-of-three week left the White River boys with a 4-1 season record, including the 2-0 start in SPSL 2A play.

Friday’s victory over the Fife Trojans started evenly enough, with each team posting 14 first-quarter points. It was all White River the rest of the way, as the Hornet boys built a 33-25 lead by halftime and stretched the advantage to 56-39 after three quarters.

The win was highlighted by a selfless offense that saw five Hornets reach double figures. Dustin France and Alex Sayler led the way with 16 points each, while Robert Foster contributed 12, Clayton Holm added 11 and Spencer Swigart scored 10.

The league-opening victory over the Washington Patriots was built on the strength of big first and third quarters. White River jumped on top 15-2 after eight minutes of play, went into the locker room ahead 29-15 and then buried the Patriots with a 19-8 advantage in the third frame.

Eight different Hornets cracked the scoring column, led by Brandon Dove’s 17 points and 12 more by France.

The loss to Capital High was due to one big quarter by the visiting Cougars, who used a 24-15 advantage immediately after halftime to take control.

Dove scored 16 in the loss, Sayler had 13 and France added 10.