The White River High boys basketball squad visited Enumclaw Dec. 1 to commence its 2010-11 hoop campaign, losing 59-49 in a nonleague tilt that featured the intensity of a meaningful, midseason conflict.

Owing mostly to the WRHS backcourt tandem of Billy Kiel and Jason Tyler, who combined to score 35 points in the rivalry, the Buckley boys held the upper hand for the majority of the first half. By intermission though, Enumclaw was enjoying a slim 25-24 edge.

“In the second half Enumclaw figured a few things out and began to wear us down in the low post,” White River coach Rick Tripp said.

White River’s big guys did the best they could to avoid being exploited in the paint, as 6-foot, 3-inch power forward Lyle McCaragher collected 10 rebounds in the encounter. In the long run though, a larger Enumclaw bunch won the punishing bump and grind struggle beneath the glass.