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With the school’s football team still in the midst of a memorable playoff run, the Ferndale High boys basketball team had just two varsity players on hand for a season-opening tournament at Point Arena over the weekend.

And that’s not the only adversity the Wildcats had to overcome.

The team van was involved in a head-on collision on the way to Point Arena when a motorbike veered into their lane.

Fortunately, none of the Ferndale players were hurt in the accident, and according to head coach Tristen Waters, the motorcyclist was “lucky he made it out alive, to say the least.”

When the players reached Point Arena, they lost their opening game to Technology 50-41 on Friday, but would bounce back to beat Laytonville 49-31 on Saturday before dropping their tournament finale to the host school by a score of 86-35.

Parker Prior and Ayden Christiansen were the only two Ferndale varsity players available for the trip, with 10 players on the roster still playing football.

However, Waters was more than pleased with the effort of the five JVs called up for the trip, including Garyn McClurg, Will Shaw, Luke Dixon, Lucci Fergison and Tyler Berti.

“I’m extremely proud of the five JV kids that competed in their first high school basketball (games) at the varsity level,” Waters said. 

A trio of the freshmen — McClurg, Shaw and Dixon — all made an immediate impression against Technology on Friday and led the way for the team offensively.

Dixon had 12 points and was “a force on the boards,” according to the coach, while Shaw had 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and McClurg added nine points and played well defensively.

“I’m so happy for those kids getting this huge opportunity and just rising to the occasion,” Waters said. 

The two upperclassmen also impressed over the weekend and provided some much-needed team leadership for the young roster.

The freshmen continued to step up the following day against Laytonville.

Shaw scored a team-high 18 points in the win, while Prior added 11 points, Dixon nine and McClurg eight.

“Those three freshmen are something special,” Waters said of the first-year high school players. “They were instrumental in our win. They do it all. I think the program is looking up due to the young guys we are developing.”

The game against Point Arena was competitive for the opening two quarters but got away from the Cats after halftime.

“We fought till the buzzer, and that’s all I could ask,” the head coach said. “I’m so proud of the five guys that stepped up in their first high school action.”

Prior scored a team-high 17 points in the loss, while Dixon added 11 points.

It didn’t help when Shaw was forced from the game for the second half because of an injury he picked up, leaving the Cats with just six players for the remainder of the game.

McClurg again was “a pest on defense,” according to his coach and was an aggressive presence on the boards.

“That was great to see him be so committed to doing the dirty work and not worry about how much he scored,” Waters said of McClurg.

Prior and Dixon were both named to the all-tournament team.