Tough fourth quarter dooms Bulldogs in loss

COEUR d’ALENE — An ice-cold fourth quarter proved too much to overcome, as the Sandpoint boys were outscored 21-0 in the final frame, enabling South Kitsap to blow  open a close game and post a 66-34 win on Friday at the Lake City Invitational.

Jeremiah Gagnon scored nine points to lead the Bulldogs (1-8), who used a 14-12 third quarter edge to cut the lead to nine late in the third quarter. The small deficit was short-lived, as things went south in the final period.

“The story of the game is we were down by 11 heading into the fourth quarter and got outscored 21-0,” lamented Bulldogs head coach Tyler Haynes. “We kind of ran out of gas. We played much better, but we’re still trying to find that complete game.”

Matthew Burgstahler scored six points and Nathan Schwartz five, as points were hard to come by against the Port Orchard, Washington school with more than 2,500 students.

“This was a very good team, and we just let it get away from us,” said Haynes. “The kids have a great attitude. They’re trying to get better, and that’s what they’re here for.”

Sandpoint plays Auburn today at noon at Lake City High School in the third straight matchup against a Washington school. Sandpoint’s 4A North rival, Lakeland, beat Auburn 62-53 in the other consolation bracket game.

S. Kitsap  16   17   12   21 — 66

Sandpoint 10   10   14   0 — 34

S. KITSAP — Callahan 9, Bakalaski 14, Knowles 2, Simpson 3, DeQuist 5, Stoner 2, Johnson 6, Mishko 5, Bingham 6, Hyson 11, Lsinski 3.

SANDPOINT — Jurenka 2, Rodriguez 2, Couch 0, Schwartz 5, Nelson 0, Gagnon 9, Edwards 3, Burgstahler 6, Alsager 2, Lutz 5.