Granite Falls established an early lead and never trailed in a 53-30 win over the visiting South Whidbey High School girls basketball team Tuesday, Jan. 8.

South Whidbey (0-4, 2-10) will try to collect its first North Sound Conference win when it travels to Cedar Park Christian-Bothell (3-1, 6-5) for a 5:15 p.m. game Friday, Jan. 11.

The Eagles defeated the Falcons earlier this season 51-33.

Granite Falls 53, South Whidbey 30

Sadie Hutchinson pumped in 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers, to guide the Tigers to a 17-4 first-quarter lead.

South Whidbey received 4 points from Lexi Starets-Foote and 3 from Ella Wood, but Granite Falls, behind 6 points from Rylee Downs, pushed its lead to 33-13 at the break.

Hutchinson added 6 points on the way to a game-high 18 and Granite Falls built a 46-18 lead after three quarters.

South Whidbey made seven of eight free throws – two each by Arianna Briggs, Emma Hodson and Sami Daly – and Daly sank a three-pointer in the fourth period as the Falcons outscored the Tigers 12-7 and finished the game with their best quarter.

Starets-Foote and Wood each scored 7 points in the game to lead South Whidbey. Briggs had 6, Daly 5, Hodson 3 and Kayla Knauer 2.

Despite the loss, Falcon coach Jeff Hanson liked the effort of his team, “playing hard throughout the game.”

“(We’re) young girls trying to find their way as a team,” he added.