Both Vashon High basketball teams got wake up calls last night. The Cascade Christian Cougars pounced on the visiting Pirates and didn’t let go until they had won.

The games were similar in that Cascade Christian jumped to an early lead and built a big enough margin that Vashon fell just short of catching up. Neither Vashon boys nor girls ever had a lead.

Kelly Costello runs into traffic.

The Cougar girls led 13-3 after one quarter and made that lead hold up the rest of the game. Vashon out-scored the Cougars in the second third quarters and cut the margin to three points for most of the fourth period.

Then some very strange foul calls had five Pirates fouled out, four in the final minute and a half, and a sixth player ejected, leaving Vashon with only four players on the floor for the final whistle. The resulting free throws allowed the Cougars to increase the final margin from three to nine, 45-36.

Kiki Means tries to keep control of the ball while tangled up with a Cougar player

The Pirate boys spotted the Cougars a 33-15 half time margin before playing the hosts even in the third period. Early in the fourth period the margin reached 20 points before Vashon closed it to four with less than two minutes remaining.

The Cougars were almost perfect with free throws as the Pirates fouled to try to get the ball back, resulting in a final score of Cascade Christian 60, Vashon 45.

Quinn Holert guards a Cascade Christian player.

Friday the Pirates host Orting. Boys play at 5:30 p.m., girls at 7 p.m.