Five South Whidbey High School graduates are continuing their athletic careers by competing in a winter sport in college. Here’s a rundown on how the former Falcons fared this season.
Basketball
Senior Parker Collins closed out his career at Linfield College (McMinnville, Ore.) this winter.
The one-time Falcon star appeared in 13 games for the 17-9 Wildcats, starting two. The 17 wins was the most by Linfield since 2001.
He recorded 30 points, four rebounds, 14 assists and three steals.
Collins scored a season-high 7 points against Willamette Feb. 2, and he had a career high 14 points his junior year.
He was 8-for-18 on three-point shots this season, posting the team’s second-best percentage, 44, from long distance among those with more than 10 attempts.
He was also elected to the Linfield College Activities Team, which plans social, cultural, educational and outdoor activities; he is the organization’s sports chairman.
Sophomore Megan Drake was one of the top reserves on the Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma) women’s basketball team. Drake appeared in 22 games for the 14-10 Lutes, logging the seventh-most minutes. She hit 28 of 67 field goals (42 percent) and 19 of 25 free throws (76 percent) for 79 points and a 3.6 points per game average. Her free-throw shooting percent was second best for PLU. She snared 29 offensive rebounds and recorded five blocks, both third among the Lutes. She finished with 69 total rebounds, 31 assists and four steals.
Three times she scored in double figures with a high of 15 in a 78-65 win over Warner Pacific Nov. 24. She collected a season-best 11 rebounds in just 16 minutes in a 92-39 rout of Nichols Dec. 16.
Sophomore Emily Turpin played for the Portland Community College women’s basketball team this winter. PCC is 1-24 and plays its final game today. After missing the first nine games, Turpin played in 11 and started four. She averaged 6.3 points per game, fifth-best on the team, scoring 69 points. Turpin sank 25 of 79 field goals (32 percent) and 11 of 18 free throws (61 percent). She also had 35 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block.
Turpin scored a season-high 11 points against Umpqua Jan. 26 and recorded eight rebounds against Linn-Benton Feb. 11.
Freshman Lewis Pope and his Central Washington University men’s basketball team is nearing the end of the regular season. The Wildcats were 11-16 through Thursday. Pope has played in all but one game for Central, starting in two of the last three.
He has scored 37 points, averaging 1.4 per game. Pope has connected on 13 of 34 field goals (38 percent), including going 9-for-26 beyond the arc, for 35 percent, sixth best among those who have at least 20 attempts. Pope also registered 34 rebounds, 21 assists, six steals and two blocks.
His season best scoring night came against Concordia Feb. 21 when he dropped in 7 points. Twice he grabbed four rebounds, against Montana State University-Billings Jan. 31 and Western Oregon Feb 23.
Indoor Track
Elizabeth Donnelly ran with the Whittier College (California) women’s track team in its one indoor meet this season. The freshman finished third in the 600-meter run in 1:42.38 at Northern Arizona University Feb. 1. She also ran on the first-place 4×400 relay team (4:24.48).
South Whidbey graduate Megan Drake looks for an open teammate in a game for Pacific Lutherna University this winter. (Photo courtesy of PLU Athletics)
