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The OHHS girls basketball team finishes up its season at home at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014 • Whidbey News-Times
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Sibling revelry
Page A9
Brothers, buoyed by each other’s and team’s success, lead Oak Harbor into wrestling postseason
By JIM WALLER Sports editor
It’s been a special season for Oak Harbor High School wrestler Jahleel Vester. The senior captain owns a 29-2 record and is ranked third in the state in the 138pound division. His individual accomplishments helped Oak Harbor go undefeated in the Wesco 3A North, win the divisional crown and post a 9-1 season record. To find one of the reasons for his and the Wildcats’ success, all he has to do is look across the family dinner table. His younger brother, Jeremy, a 132-pound junior, has amassed a 31-1 record and is ranked fifth in his weight class. The brothers said what makes this season special isn’t just their success, but getting to share those accomplishments together. And, they noted, the season is far from over and there are other clippings to add to their scrapbooks. The postseason starts this weekend with the sub-regional tournament at MarysvillePilchuck Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. The pair hope to advance through the qualifying tournaments and return to state. Jahleel has earned a state trip each year, placing eighth as a freshman and junior. Jeremy qualified each of his two seasons but has not placed. Jahleel’s goal is to finish in the top three; Jeremy is looking to place, which is eighth or better. As a team, Oak Harbor finished 10th at state last winter.
Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times
Wildcat captain Jahleel Vester, left, jokingly reacts to his younger brother Jeremy’s claim that he could beat Jahleel in wrestling. Oak Harbor coach Peter Esvelt said the team goal is to finish among the top three at sub-regional, which features several strong tournament teams. Beyond that, he said, it will depend on how well Oak Harbor’s No. 2 wrestlers in each class do against the varsity athletes from other schools. At state, the goal is to “finish on the board (top 10) again,” he said. “At state, all of the wrestlers are good, and it comes down to the teams and wres-
PREP ROUNDUP ‘Cat gets 44 in loss Oak Harbor’s Drew Washington blistered Maryville-Pilchuck for 44 points, the second highest single-game basketball scoring performance in school history, but the visiting Tomahawks somehow escaped with a 75-67 win Monday, Feb. 3. The Wildcats also lost 79-54 at Shorecrest Friday, Jan. 31, and to visiting Ferndale 81-74 Saturday, Feb. 1, in a nonleague game. To reach the district tournament, Oak Harbor (4-8, 4-15) needs a win at Marysville Getchell (0-12, 1-18) Wednesday, Feb. 5,
tlers that rise to the challenge, and I think we have a group that can do that,” Esvelt said. In addition to the Vesters, Esvelt expects Christian Bertram (113 pounds), Mark Johnston (152) and Jackson Constant (285) to be among the top seeds in the subregional “If we wrestle like we can, we could take 10 onto regionals,” Esvelt said. The top three in each weight class at the sub-regional will advance to the regional meet
and then in a tie-breaker game at home at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, against M-P or Everett. Washington hit six three-pointers on the way to his 44 points, second in OHHS scoring to Pat McGreevey’s 49 in 1953. Washington also had 21 points in the losses to Shorecrest and Ferndale. Dyllan Harris scored 24 against Ferndale.
Wolves fall to Sultan The Coupeville boys basketball team lost 79-67 at Sultan Friday, Jan. 31. The Wolves outscored the Turks 52-48 over the first, third and fourth quarters, but the second quarter was another story when Sultan racked up 31 points
at Seattle’s Nathan Hale High School Feb. 15. The Vesters realize the better they are as individuals, the better the chance the team reaches its goals. With that in mind, the two often train together in practice, inspiring each other to improve. “It helps us push each other hard,” Jeremy said. Jahleel added he is motivated to work hard in practice because he “doesn’t want to get pinned by his younger brother.” Esvelt said Jahleel and
to 15 for Coupeville. Anthony Bergeron scored 14 points, Gavin O’Keefe 10, Nick Streubel 10, Wiley Hesselgrave nine, Joel Walstad eight, Morgan Payne eight, Aaron Trumbull six and Matt Shank two. The Wolves (1-11, 3-15) finish up the season at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at Granite Falls (5-6, 8-9).
CHS girls lose at line Two stats stood out in the Coupeville girls basketball game with visiting Sultan Friday, Jan. 31. Unfortunately one led directly to the Wolves’ 42-39 loss. Coupeville missed 19 free throws, hitting only 11 of 30. The other stat was an impressive 24 rebounds by Makana Stone,
Jeremy are “great to coach” and will practice together “with enough brotherly competition” to make the drills “far more competitive than most.” The two are also good teammates, Esvelt said, and will jump in and show techniques to others when the team is working on individual improvements. The Vesters are similar in their work ethics, records, goals and confidence, Esvelt said, but are different in other areas.
but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Wolves’ foul-shooting woes. Stone also scored 10 points, Maddi Strasburg had nine, Amanda Fabrizi six, Kacie Kiel five, Bree Messner four, Julia Myers four and McKayla Bailey one. Coupeville (4-7, 8-9) hosts Granite Falls (0-11, 1-16) at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. The Wolves will open district play at home at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11.
OH girls drop 2 games Shorecrest and Ferndale each scored in double figures in every quarter to hand the Oak Harbor High School girls basketball team a pair of losses over the weekend. Visiting Shorecrest defeated
Jahleel is more serious and takes a studious approach to wrestling, and Jeremy is more jovial and less tense in tight situations. Their wrestling styles follow their personalities, Esvelt said. Jahleel is pragmatic, always moving forward. Jeremy “counters great” and “even in the worst position, he usually scrambles out and on top.” Jahleel is a “great leader,” according to Esvelt, while Jeremy provides “comic relief” in a positive way. “They carry their heart and faith with them everywhere,” Esvelt said. “It is the most genuine display I have seen as a coach, and it translates to a deep caring for their teammates.” Jahleel, being a senior captain, sees its as his responsibility that the Wildcats, as a whole, do well. “I feel like I can’t slack off in practice; I have to lead by example. When we run sprints, I should be first. When I lose, I try not to display my disappointment; I try to set a good example.” The two could be wrestling in the same weight class, but Jeremy, being the good younger brother, diets to fit into a lower weight class to allow Jahleel to wrestle at his natural weight. One obvious questions remains: If the Vesters wrestled each other, who would win? In response, each sheepishly looked at the other and slowly raised his own hand. Brotherly love only goes so far.
Oak Harbor 65-36 Friday, Jan. 31, then host Ferndale topped the Wildcats 54-24 Saturday, Feb. 1, in a nonleague game. Against Shorecrest, Jinai Guzman led Oak Harbor with 10 points, Joanna Leete had six, Jamie Estrella six, Julie Jansen five, Bryn Langrock three, Hayley Lundstrom three, Courtney Triplett two and Liz Lym one. Jansen added six rebounds and Natalie Fiallos recorded five assists. Against Ferndale, Oak Harbor made only one two-point field goal while hitting six three-pointers. Leete scored 11 points, Guzman nine, Estrella two, Langrock one and Kenna Prosch one. Oak Harbor (0-11, 0-18) finishes the season at home against Getchell (1-9, 4-13) at 7:15 p.m. Thurs-