“Go grab your jersey Partington, you’re in”

By Ramon Scott
Updated: April 18, 2021

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE – West Hills junior Jake Partington showed up at Saturday night’s varsity basketball game at El Capitan not expecting to suit up for the Wolf Pack

Jake and the rest of the varsity football team were coming off their victory over city rival Santana on Friday night and the basketball guard was feeling pretty sore.

Plus, he hadn’t even necessarily been a full-time member yet of the team.

But when he arrived at the gym in Lakeside, Pack coach Tim Barry got straight to the point.

“I was pretty sore from the football game and wasn’t sure I was going to even suit up but we had players out so the coach asked me if I had my jersey and I had it in my car to I ran out and suited up and went in,” Partington said. “I had been practicing with them a little bit so I really didn’t know the plays that well so I was pretty nervous to go in.”

Partington scored four points in the fourth quarter as the Wolf Pack continued on their winning ways Saturday against the Vaqueros, improving to 7-2 with a 63-38 win.

Senior Kyle Dobyns led the way with 21 points for West Hills. Luke Gibson was next with eight points for the Pack.\

“Having four guys out – including two starters and our sixth man – the playing rotation was really different so we asked some guys to step up and seize the opportunity,” Barry said. “Jake Partington, Jake Kelly, and Bryan Lewis had a quality effort and I was very pleased to get a lot of contributions from some new faces.”

Lewis had seven points.

“Hopefully, as guys get healthy, this will give us more flexibility with fresh bodies rotating in,” Barry said. “I’m sure all the teams are going through the issue of players getting into game shape.”

Sophomore center Micah O’Dell led the Vaqueros with 12 points.

Senior Jacob Howard and sophomore Jayden Johnson both had eight points for El Capitan (0-10).

Cash Creighton made a pair of three-pointers in the second quarter for West Hills.

Sophomore Luke Gibson scored all eight of his points in the second quarter.

“I knew I was going to have to step up and find ways to contribute to our team to find a way to win,” Kelly said. “When we play as a team and look to push ahead and get our teammates involved, we are going to be very tough to beat. It was a great opportunity and a great feeling to help contribute to our team on a great team win.”

Bring your jersey, just in case.