Lopez boys play Darrington tough

The Lopez boys played a tough, competitive game Jan. 15 in a renewed league rivalry with Darrington, but in the end, the Loggers’ free throw shooting helped put away the Lobos.

Darrington, the Northwest A champs from last year, is a solid 13-2 team that has crushed Northwest A powers Orcas, Friday Harbor and Coupeville this season. Lopez lost 55-41, but co-coach Debbie Buffum said the Lobos had the game with six to eight points in that fourth quarter. Lopez was forced to foul in the final few minutes to stop the clock and Darrington hit free throws.

Lopez also beat Skykomish Friday 64-43 behind 23 points from Rick Lartz. The Lobos also lost Saturday to Orcas 65-47. The Darrington game was the most important contest of the week, as the Loggers and Lobos are both in the big school division of the Northwest B League (Darrington moved down from the ‘A’ division to ‘B’ this season.). Darrington is all alone in first place, and is likely to stay there, though the Lobos have another shot at them on the road Feb. 1.

Lopez got off to a terrible start against Darrington, falling behind 16-4. But, the Lobos came storming back in the second period behind two three-pointers by Jason Buffum. Lopez ended the half down only 24-18.

Lopez kept cutting the lead down to eight points, but Darrington kept building it back up to double digits through that second half, Debbie Buffum said. Jason Buffum hit two more treys in the fourth quarter, and Lartz added two three-pointers in the fourth as Lopez kept coming back.

“We really competed in that game,” said Debbie Buffum.

Buffum said if the Lobos had a little more luck, they might have pulled it off. Lopez only shot 26 percent from the field, and many of the boys’ misses were shots that went in and out of the well, she said.

Jason Buffum led the way with 22 points.

Against Skykomish, Rypinski scored 15, and Morgan Kashuk 10. Jason Buffum only scored eight, but he had 12 assists, said Debbie Buffum. The Lobos got up 25-0, then cruised for a relatively easy win.

— Pierre LaBossiére is sports editor of islandssounder.com and The Islands’ Sounder. He can be reached at (360) 378-4191 ext. 20 or email.

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