Eatonville Cruisers Close Out Season with Hard-Fought Battles
The Eatonville Cruisers boys’ basketball team wrapped up their season with two competitive matchups, showing resilience and determination despite tough results. Facing the Fife Trojans and the Clover Park Timberwolves, the Cruisers battled hard but ultimately fell short in both contests. However, their performances highlighted their progress, grit, and the impact of their senior leaders.
Traveling to Fife High School on Tuesday February 4th, the Cruisers aimed to avenge their previous 65-42 loss to the Trojans in January. This time around, Eatonville displayed significant improvement, keeping the game close before falling 57-47.
Eatonville started strong, striking first when Nate Goode secured a rebound and found Michael Stogsdill streaking up the court for an easy layup and a 2-0 lead. However, Fife quickly responded with an 8-0 run and led 12-8 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter proved to be a challenge for the Cruisers. The Trojan defense turned up the pressure, forcing seven turnovers and limiting Eatonville to just four points. Fife capitalized with a pair of scoring runs, taking a 24-12 lead into halftime.
Eatonville’s offense found its rhythm in the third quarter. After a 5-0 Fife run to start the period, the Cruisers fought back with a 14-5 surge of their own, outscoring the Trojans 16-15 in the frame. One bright spot for the Cruisers was Amari Samuel, who contributed seven points off the bench.
Samuel stayed hot in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of his team-high 18 points, but the Trojans managed to hold on for a 57-47 victory.
“I loved how our group battled in this one,” said Head Coach Josh Bennett. “To hold a team to 24 points in a half is impressive. I have said all year our half-court set defense is really good, and that was on display for most of the game. Offensively, to score 35 points in the second half and almost come back and get the win shows the grit and fight that this team has.”
Samuel led the way with 18 points, all in the second half, while Stogsdill added a season-high 12 points along with three blocks.
The Cruisers returned home Friday February 7th to Rainier Connect Arena for their final game of the season, taking on the Clover Park Timberwolves on Senior Night. Before tip-off, the team honored their three seniors: Michael Stogsdill, Nate Goode, and Lowell McWright.
Coach Bennett praised each senior for their contributions:
“Michael has been such a joy to coach over the last three years. Seeing his growth as a player and leader was truly special. He battled his way back from a football injury just to play his senior year. He’s a momentum-changing player, and I’m so grateful to have coached him.”
“Nate is a kid who just loves to work hard—always! He embraced his role as our key rebounder, setting the tone in every game. His growth over the last three years has been amazing, and I’m beyond grateful to have coached such a hard-working kid.”
“Lowell just loves to hoop. We were fortunate to have him join the program this year. He’s a great shooter and stepped up as a ball handler. Transferring as a senior can be tough, but he fit in seamlessly with his play and leadership. I can’t thank him enough for all his contributions.”
Unfortunately for the Cruisers, turnovers plagued them all night against Clover Park. Eatonville committed 28 turnovers, including six in the first quarter, allowing the Timberwolves to build a 26-16 lead. An 8-0 run early and another 8-0 run midway through the quarter made the deficit tough to overcome. McWright kept Eatonville competitive with 11 first-quarter points, while Goode added four.
A crushing 9-1 Clover Park run to start the second quarter widened the gap. Eatonville struggled with ball control, turning it over eight more times before halftime and falling behind 47-30 at the break. McWright continued his strong night, finishing with 18 first-half points.
The second half proved even tougher, as the Cruisers managed just 10 points in the third and eight in the fourth, ultimately losing 88-48. McWright led the team with 23 points, tying his season-high, while Goode, Samuel, and Jeremy Osborn Jr. each contributed six.
Despite the loss, Coach Bennett remained proud of his team: “It was an awesome night to celebrate our seniors. All three of them were monumental this year. They are the first group to set the culture for the future of the program moving forward.”
The Cruisers wrapped up the 2024-25 season with a 1-19 record. Their lone victory came early in January when they edged Tempe Prep 48-44 in the Coyote Basketball Invitational in Arizona. While the win-loss column may not reflect it, Coach Bennett saw plenty of positives from the season.
“A record of 1-19 may not jump off the page as success, but to us in this program, there is a lot to be proud of,” he said. “The team never quit. They played so hard for us coaches. We were so close in so many games. The other thing to note is that the growth of the culture was successful. While there were some bumps along the way, I am proud to confidently say that these kids also learned a lot about life. They took huge steps as young kids working to become young men. Transformation will be seen throughout the whole program. I wouldn't trade a second of the journey and am excited for what the future holds for Cruiser basketball.”
With a dedicated core and a foundation built on hard work and resilience, the Cruisers will look to turn this season’s lessons into future success. The contributions of their senior leaders will not be forgotten, as they have set the stage for the program’s continued growth.
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