DUVALL—Just when Cedarcrest coach Ray LaBate was ready to

play his younger players with an eye toward next year, the Red Wolves picked

up their first win of the year and their first KingCo victory in two seasons.

The win came Friday night when Cedarcrest hosted the Liberty

Patriots. Senior Michael Smith led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds

as Cedarcrest (1-10, 1-17) held on for a convincing 82-75 win.

“The team played like they had been together for years,” LaBate

said after the contest. “Everything was falling and we played exceptional

defense to hold off a late Liberty rally.”

Five players scored eight or more points for Cedarcrest. Junior

James Conrick had eight rebounds to go along with his 16 points, including

an incredible 11-for-12 from the foul line in the second half. Junior Nick

Rich contributed 13 points, mostly from the outside.

Seniors Morgan Henley and Jeff Coy scored nine and eight points,

respectively, while Brett Devries added eight more.

“The team has worked hard to learn the new offense, and this win

was the result of their dedication and hard work during some pretty hard

times,” said LaBate.

Earlier in the week the Red Wolves lost their 37th game in 38 contests

over two seasons when they dropped a 77-36 decision to

playoff-bound Sammamish. Smith scored 20 against the Totems, but no other Red

Wolf player had over four points.

Smith’s week kept him among the top 10 scorers in the KingCo

conference. His average of 14.4 points per game ranks him seventh among

the league’s best producers.

This week the Red Wolves wrap up their first campaign under

Coach LaBate. On Tuesday Cedarcrest traveled to Snoqualmie for a rematch

with the high-flying Mount Si Wildcats. They’ll conclude the season at

home on Friday against Interlake.

“With our new-found confidence and the way these guys have

been playing, you never know what might happen,” LaBate said with a sly smile.