Whatcom holds off Pirates 61-48
BELLINGHAM - Following heart-stopping losses to conference-leading Skagit Valley and Bellevue, the Pirates knew they were as good as any team in the North and they needed only a win at Whatcom Wednesday to secure the inside track for third place and stay in the hunt for the second-place berth to the playoffs.
However, Whatcom is a tough place to win and it was a combination of chilly shooting, lack of rebounding and some lop-sided whistles that spelled the Pirates' demise in a 61-48 setback.
The Orcas went to the line 18 times, hitting 15 of those, while Peninsula shot only 5 free throws, making only 2 to provide the difference on the scoreboard. The Pirates were also unusually cold from beyond the arc, where they hoisted 14 threes and made none of them. The Orcas also outrebounded the Pirates 39-25.
The Pirates were led by the 18 points of Taylor Larson and 13 from Jesse Ellis, who also led in rebounds with 6, steals with 4 and assists with 5.
The PC women (7-4, 13-8) slipped to fourth place in the North. They host winless Edmonds on Saturday.
Skagit escapes PC upset bid, 63-62
MOUNT VERNON - The Pirate women nearly did something no NWAACC team has done this year, beat Skagit Valley on their home court. After trailing 33-29 at halftime, the Peninsula women outscored the Cardinals 33-30 in the second half, falling just short of the upset, 63-62.
On paper, it didn't look like a fair fight. The host Cardinals went to the free throw line 17 times, hitting 12. The Pirates, meanwhile, shot a season-low 4 attempts from the charity stripe, hitting only one.
Jasmine Yarde had a big game for the Pirates, as the freshman guard led her team with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals.Taylor Larson added 18 points and 8 rebounds and Jesse Ellis added 17 points and 6 boards before fouling out.
The Pirates (7-3, 13-7) travel to Whatcom on Wednesday.
Ellis ties record as Pirates storm to 93-57 win
PORT ANGELES - Jesse Ellis tied the Peninsula assist record with 11, five players hit for double figures and everyone scored in what had to be one of the highest scoring wins in Peninsula women's basketball history as the Pirates rocked Seattle 93-57 Wednesday.
Ellis, a freshman from Skagway, Alaska, converted on 11 assists, tying the school record held by teammate Karli Brakes, coach Alison Crumb (2004) and former Alaska standout Trista White (2004).
The Pirates stormed out to a 43-27 halftime lead and never looked back, as coach Crumb played her bench liberally - and got a lot of production out of her reserves with 13 points from Leisl Brown, 8 from Jonica Durbin, and 4 each from Tia Mason, Callie Monfrey and Ashley Manker.
Meanwhile, the starters put up some pretty good numbers in limited minutes, as Taylor Larson poured in 22, Abby Jones had 12 points and a season-high 7 steals, and Jasmine Yarde and Ellis each chipped in 11. Point guard Karli Brakes also had a strong showing at both ends of the floor.
The Pirates (6-2, 12-6) have a date with the Cardinals at Skagit Valley Saturday where a win would put Peninsula right back in the driver's seat for the conference championship.
Amazing PC comeback falls short in OT loss at Bellevue
BELLEVUE - Perhaps the biggest comeback in Peninsula College women's basketball history did not result in a victory, but it may have provided a turning point for the Pirates, who previously were not convinced they are among the NWAACC's best.
In the first meeting of the season between two teams deadlocked in second place in the North, the Pirates did not seem to believe they belonged there in a rough first half that saw them shoot only 14 percent from the field, leaving them trailing 42-17.
Coach Ali Crumb got her team re-energized at halftime and the Pirates came out of the locker room determined to live up to the slogan they wear on their T-shirts: "Together, all out, all game, all season." While some teams might have folded, the PC women dominated the Bulldogs in a complete reversal of the first half, outscoring the hosts 42-17 and playing "all out" on defense, as a nice crowd of Peninsula fans who made the trip were on their feet for much of the amazing run.
The Pirates managed to tie it at 59-59 on a layup by Taylor Larson and a Jesse Ellis free throw - and almost won it. Jasmine Yarde got off a three-point shot from the wing that was all the way inside the cylinder when it popped out, giving Bellevue the ball for the final possession. The Bulldogs got off two shots before Tia Mason ripped down a game-saving rebound to send the contest into overtime.
Unfortunately, the Pirates had been playing with the pedal to the metal for 20 minutes, hitting 50 percent of their shots, and they just couldn't get their shots to fall in the overtime period, as the Bulldogs dominated the key and took advantage of second-shot opportunities to put the game out of reach in overtime, 72-61.
Ellis had a big night for the Pirates, leading the way with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals. Larson had another double-double with 14 points and 15 boards, Abby Jones had 12 points and 9 boards, and Yarde finished with 10. Mason also had a big game for the Pirates defensively.
Look for the momentum of that second-half effort to carry into the second half of conference play, which begins Wednesday when the Pirates (5-2, 11-6) host Seattle (3-5, 5-11) at 5:00 in the PC gym.
Larson breaks school record in win over Olympic
PORT ANGELES – The Pirates were breezing along with a commanding 35-17 halftime lead over the visiting Olympic Rangers Wednesday night when coach Alison Crumb noticed her freshman post player had 18 points at halftime in only 11 minutes of play. While substituting liberally elsewhere, she kept Taylor Larson in the game much of the second half and the Juneau-Douglas grad eventually left the game with 4 minutes remaining and the crowd applauding her 35-point school record effort.
Larson, who was 17/29 from the field and 1/6 from the free throw line, broke the previous PC women's record of 32, held by Francis Farani (2004) and Sierra Tornga (2002). Larson also added 10 rebounds to her effort.
Meanwhile, her teammates completely overwhelmed the Rangers, turning an 8-7 lead into a 27-7 lead en route to a 77-55 victory.
Abby Jones had a good night with 15 points and 8 rebounds, Jasmine Yarde finished with 8 points and 7 boards, Karli Brakes, who owns a share of the school record for assists (11) had 10 on Wednesday and Jesse Ellis, who plays great basketball everytime she steps on the floor, added 6 assists,
The Pirates (6-1, 12-5) travel to Bellevue for a 4:00 game on Saturday in what promises to figure big in their desire to win the North Division championship.
Pirates too much for Shoreline, 65-45
PORT ANGELES – The Pirates continue to play great team basketball at both ends of the floor and were simply too much for the Dolphins, improving to 5-1 in conference play and 11-5 overall with a 65-45 win over Shoreline.
A big home crowd saw the Pirates come up with 19 steals and force 23 Dolphin turnovers as they spotted the visitors a 2-0 lead and then dominated the rest of the game, bolting out in front 34-11 and then coasting with everyone playing and most everyone scoring.
Taylor Larson had another big night with 21 points in just 27 minutes of action, Jesse Ellis had 14 and led in assists with 6 and the rest of the scoring was spread out with Abby Jones 6, 5 each for Jonica Durbin and Tia Mason, 4 from Jasmine Yarde, 3 each from Leisl Brown and Megan Smith and 2 each from Callie Monfrey and Ashley Manker.
The Pirates will be at home again Wednesday for a “Pirate Pete’s Week” game against Olympic.
Pirates rock Everett 85-30
EVERETT - In its 14-year history, Peninsula College doesn't have many wins over the Everett women's basketball team, especially on the Trojans' home court, but they got one Monday - and in a big way.
Taylor Larson recorded a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds, Tia Mason poured in a career high 21 points and also notched a double-double with 12 boards, Jasmine Yarde was the team's third daily double winner with 14 points, a dozen rebounds and 6 steals, Jesse Ellis added 10 points and 8 boards, and point guard Karli Brakes had another big night delivering the ball with 7 assists.
It was a game that saw all 11 who played manage to score. The Pirates scored 40 percent from the floor, while their defense held Everett to a chilly 19 percent field goal shooting and forced 26 turnovers.
Peninsula (4-1, 10-5) is idle Wednesday and will be home Saturday at 5:00 against Shoreline.
Pirates move into second with romp at Edmonds
EDMONDS - The Pirates bolted out to a 39-16 lead over the Tritons at Edmonds Saturday en route to a 79-47 win, moving them into second place in the NWAACC North standings with a 3-1 conference record and a 9-5 overall mark.
Peninsula's leading scorer Taylor Larson played only six minutes, but her mates all stepped up with a balanced scoring attack that overwhelmed the Tritons. Raquel Young led the way with 15 points, Jesse Ellis scored 12, Abby Jones had 10, Jasmine Yarde 9, Tia Mason 8 and Jonica Durbin had her best game as a Pirate with 8 points and 5 rebounds in only eight minutes. Megan Smith chipped in 6 points and led the team with 5 assists.
The Pirates will make the trek across the snowy Sound again Monday to take on Everett.
Pirates finish strong to sink Orcas 68-59
PORT ANGELES - The Pirates rebounded from a disappointing home loss to Skagit Valley by stopping Whatcom 68-59 Wednesday night in front of a big home crowd.
Juneau Alaska freshman Taylor Larson was unstoppable from the post, pouring in 25 points and pulling down 9 rebounds to lead the Pirate women, while Abby Jones scored 12 with 7 boards, Jesse Ellis hit for 8 points and 6 assists, and Karli Brakes added 8 points, 5 assists and 5 steals.
The game pitted two very evenly matched teams and it was anyone's game to win. The Pirates went out in front early, opening up a 32-24 lead at halftime, but Whatcom tied it at 44-44 with 8:50 remaining. The Pirates regained the lead on a free throw by Jones with 6:50 to go and her teammates then rallied to put the game out of reach on hoops by Megan Smith, Brakes, Larson and Ellis, as well as 11 free throws including four from Jasmine Yarde.
It was a great team win for coach Ali Crumb and her women who will take an 8-5, 2-1 record on the road to Edmonds and Everett on Saturday and Monday.
Skagit Valley holds off chilly Pirates
PORT ANGELES -You have to be at your best to beat Skagit Valley, and although the Pirates accomplished that fete earlier this season, they weren't at their best Saturday night in a 64-55 loss to the perennial North Division champion Cardinals.
Skagit's big inside game and tough defense held the Pirates to a 32 percent field goal percentage, while making 41 percent of their own attempts from the floor. The fouls didn't go Peninsula's way, the shots weren't falling and everything else was there, as the PC women defended Skagit well and fought hard to the end.
Taylor Larson was held to just 12 points and 6 rebounds to lead Peninsula, Jasmine Yarde had 10 points and 4 assists, Jesse Ellis and Abby Jones each had 9 and Jones led the team in rebounds with 10.
The Pirates, who slipped to 7-5 and 1-1 host Whatcom Wednesday.
Pirates storm Seattle 79-48 in conference opener
SEATTLE – Abigail Jones scored 16 to lead the Pirates to a 79-48 romp over North Seattle in their North Division conference opener Wednesday.
The Pirates bolted out to a 46-21 halftime lead, as everyone played and 10 players scored in the romp. Taylor Larson scored 14 points in only 18 minutes of play, Jesse Ellis had a big night with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals, Tia Mason contributed 8 points and 6 boards, and Karli Brakes added 7 points and 6 assists.
The PC women shot 42 percent from the floor, 40 percent from 3-point range and 78 percent from the free throw line, while their swarming defense held the Storm to just 22 percent shooting and 33 turnovers.
The Pirates (7-4, 1-0) host Skagit Valley for their conference home opener at 5:00 on Saturday.
Pirates place 4th at South Region Crossover
CLACKAMAS, OR – The Pirates wrapped up the non-conference portion of their season with back-to-back losses at the NWAACC South Region Crossover Tournament here last weekend, but the two setbacks were not an indication of what kind of preseason this team has had.
The Peninsula women opened the tournament with a hard-fought 64-48 win over a very talented Treasure Valley squad in a game that was much closer than the score indicates. The Pirates couldn’t shake the Chukars until the final two minutes when they turned a two-point lead into a 16-point romp. Taylor Larson poured in a college career high 28 points, Jesse Ellis hit for 12 and Karli Brakes contributed 8 steals and was credited with 6 assists.
That win propelled them into the semifinal game against the NWAACC’s top-ranked and unbeaten Clackamas Cougars. The Pirates went right after the tournament hosts, but slipped eight points behind midway through the first half and could not dig out, falling 77-69. Raquel Young led the Pirates with 16, Jasmine Yarde 15 and Larson 14. Ellis chipped in 5 steals and 5 assists.
In Sunday’s game for third and fourth, the PC women led throughout the first half, but the Southwestern Oregon Lakers would not go away and capitalized when Young was sidelined with an ankle injury in the first half. The Lakers built their lead to 6 points going down the stretch, but the Pirates fought back, tying it on a pair of free throws by Abby Jones and then going out in front 75-74 on two clutch free throws by Larson. The SWOC women, however, answered, drawing a foul and meshing two from the charity stripe with 6 seconds to play and Yarde’s baseline jumper would not go as the final buzzer sounded. Larson led the Pirates with 20, Ellis had 14, and Megan Smith 11, including three 3-point hoops in the first half. Yarde had 8 points and 10 rebounds and Brakes contributed 5 assists.
The Pirates, who finished non-conference play with a 6-4 record, are idle until their North Division opener at North Seattle on Jan. 4.
Pirates upset Skagit Valley to place 3rd
FORT STEILACOOM - The Pirates continued to make noise in the NWAACC women's basketball world with a third-place finish at the Holiday Invitational at Pierce College last weekend. "In 14 years of intercollegiate basketball, I can count on one hand, and maybe three fingers, how many times we've beat Skagit Valley," Director of Athletics Rick Ross said. "Coach Crumb has landed some bonified talent this year and the women are playing very well."
The Pirates opened with a 67-56 win over Pierce on Friday night, getting 18 points from Taylor Larson, 16 from Jasmine Yarde and a career-high 15 points and 10 boards from Jesse Ellis.
The Pirates advanced to the tournament semifinal against NWAACC super power Lane. Peninsula led that game for much of the way, but could not hold them off, falling 50-47 as three 3-point attempts in the final seconds all missed their mark. Yarde had 13 and Larson 10 in that game.
In Sunday's trophy round, the Pirates surprised Skagit Valley, going up 34-22 on the Cardinals at halftime en route to a 65-57 victory. Raquel Young led the PC women with 18 points and 7 rebounds, Abigail Jones scored 12, Ellis chipped in 11 points and 7 boards, Megan Smith had 8 and Karli Brakes contributed 8 assists.
The Pirates wrap up non-conference play at the Clackamas Tournament, Friday through Sunday in SE Portland, OR.
Pirates drop LCC 77-75 in thriller
PORT ANGELES - Saturday's thrilling 77-75 come-from-behind victory over Lower Columbia was undoubtedly the most exciting and well-played women's basketball game PC fans have witnessed under head coach Alison Crumb. The third-year coach guided her freshman-dominated team to a win in their home opener in a game that had a big crowd on its feet through the final minute.
The Pirates built a 17-14 lead through the early going, but didn't lead again until 43 seconds to go when Abby Jones drove the baseline and put up an 8-foot jumper to make it 75-74. Lower Columbia knotted the game with a free throw with 19 seconds remaining. The Pirates then moved the ball up court, worked it around the perimeter and then it was Jasmine Yarde who drove into the paint and put one off the glass with her left hand for the game-winning shot with just three seconds showing on the scoreboard clock. A Red Devil hair marry fell short and the fans showed their appreciation to the "new and improved" Pirates.
It was a hard-fought game with LCC's biggest lead at 8, 74-66 with 2:42 to play. Taylor Larson had an outstanding night with 20 points, Yarde hit for 15 and contributed 5 assists and 6 steals, Jones scored 8 and led the PC boards with 6 and Karli Brakes, who suffered a serious blow to the nose early in the game, came back to lead the Pirates with 11 assists, which ties Peninsula's school record, held by Trista White and Ali Crumb.
For the game, Peninsula out-rebounded the Red Devils 36-33 and out-shot them, hitting 52.5 percent from the floor to the Red Devils' 47.3 percent.
The Pirates travel to the Pierce Tournament in Tacoma on Friday, opening against Pierce at 8 p.m.
Pirates claim third at Igloo Invitational
VANCOUVER - The Pirates are off to their best start in Ali Crumb's third year as head coach going 2-1 to capture the third-place trophy at the Igloo Invitational at Clark College.
In Sunday's game for third and fourth, the Pirates went toe-to-toe with Centralia before finally breaking away, outscoring the Tigers 9-4 in overtime, to win 55-50. Freshman post Taylor Larson led the way with 19 points and 8 rebounds, Jasmine Yarde finished with 6 points and 8 boards and Karli Brakes added 6 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
In Saturday's second-round game against a very talented Columbia Basin team, the Pirates were very chilly from the field, shooting only 20 percent in a 48-26 loss. Megan Smith and Abigail Jones each had 6.
In Friday's season opener against Southwest Oregon, Jesse Ellis had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, Taylor Larson added 17 points and 6 boards, Megan Smith scored 11 and Jasmine Yarde 10 in a 75-67 overtime victory over the Lakers.
The Pirates will see their next action at home against Lower Columbia on Dec. 3 at 5:00.
Crumb taps Alaska for bulk of 11-12 talent
The road back to the NWAACC Tournament may be going through Alaska for Peninsula College head coach Alison Crumb.
Coach Crumb is working hard to build a winner and she’s off to a very good start with a handful of early commitments from some outstanding athletes – most of them from the Frontier State.
One of those players is Jasmine Yarde, who was called “one of the most decorated basketball players to come out of West Valley” by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Yarde helped the West Valley girls to a 22-8 record, a Mid-Alaska Conference title and a fourth place finish at the Class 4A State Tournament. Yarde signed her National Letter of Intent to play for Peninsula earlier this spring.
“Jasmine was someone I knew I wanted last year at this time, and had kept an eye on her when she recovered from her surgery,” coach Crumb said. “She is a true competitor and works very hard at what she does. The first thing I did this recruiting season was call Jasmine and it worked out for us. I think she will be a great asset to our program.”
And Yarde seemed happy it worked out as well.
“I’m excited, and I’m happy, but mostly, I’m just really thankful for this opportunity,” Yarde said. She tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee the summer before her senior year and only played half of her final season. Despite the injury, Yarde averaged 15.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.4 steals per game last season, and led all players at the state tournament with 54 total points (18 per game) and 18 steals (6 per game).
Another big-time Alaska athlete to commit to play for the Pirates is Raquel Young from Kenai Central High School. The 5-11 forward/post was earned All-Tournament honors at the Kenai River Classic, Cordova Tournament, and Ketchikan Tournament, she won All-Region honors in her Northern Lights Conference and was named to the Alaska Senior All-Star team for 2011.
Young was also named Athlete of the Year at Kenai Central High School where she is an excellent student.
“We are looking forward to having Raquel as a great student athlete,” coach Crumb said. “She works hard on the boards, and gets up a down the floor as a post player. She is aggressive, and physical, and will go for any loose ball no matter where it is at on the floor. She will bring a competitive spirit to our program and we look forward to having her.”
Coach Crumb is also excited about the prospect of having Jestine Ellis in a Pirate uniform next year. She is a 5-7 forward/guard from 2A Skagway High School. She has earned All-State and All-Conference honors all four years of her high school career. In 2011, she was First Team All-State, she made the All-State Tournament Team, she was a part of a team that won consecutive state championships and was named the Class 2A Player of the Year. During her junior year, she put together a very rare quadruple double, that featured 10 points, 11 rebounds 10 assists and 11 steals.
“Jesse has racked up the awards an obviously shown she can be an all-purpose player,” coach Crumb said. “We look forward to her aggressiveness, her willingness to compete, and her ability to get things done regardless of where she is put on the floor. She can pass, shoot, rebound, and above all she is an incredible defender.”
She also boasts a 3.9 grade point average, where she ranks second in her graduating class.
Continuing with the Alaska theme, Crumb has signed Wasilla High guard Leisl Brown. Her sisters Jamie and Ayla both played for the Pirates and she is bringing the same competitive spirit and desire to win. Brown helped the Warriors to the State Tournament for the second straight year, but was injured in the first game and was not able to play the rest of the way. Before she was hurt, she contributed four steals, seven points and helped the Wasilla girls get past Bartlett on their way to a Class 4A State Championship.
“I’m really excited to have Leisl join our team,” Crumb said. “Her family has all played here, so there is a great deal of roots here at Peninsula. Her quickness and ability to defend is going to help keep our guard-play fast and tenacious.”
All the way from Haines, AK is another forward, Abby Jones. Abby is a 5’9 forward who can play anywhere on the court.
“We plan on utilizing Abby in every position,” Crumb said. “She can shoot, she can rebound, and she is very aggressive. I see her getting a lot of loose ball buckets from offensive rebounds and running the floor. She works very hard at everything that she does and will be another great addition to Peninsula College.”
Abby is very active in youth group and has an excellent work ethic in the classroom.
A little closer to home, coach Crumb signed Jonica Durbin, a 6-2 post from Klahowya in Silverdale, where she was a four-year letter winner and three-year starter. Durbin suffered an injury her senior year and played sparingly, but still averaged 9.7 rebounds, 8 points and 2 steals. Perhaps her most incredible statistic, the 6-2 post also had more than 100 blocks between her junior and senior years.
“Jonica adds size to our quickness and that is very important,” Crumb said. “We’ve been playing really small the last couple years and are looking forward to being able to have someone in the paint to detract shots and discourage easy buckets. She will help our defense, our rebounding, and will also add a true post presence in our offense. She is a great girl and has already made several trips up to Peninsula to get up and down the floor with us this spring.”