“We got run out.”

For basketball coach Howard Collier and the South Whidbey girls varsity team, a trip to Nooksack Valley High School was not a big ego booster Tuesday night. On the losing end of a 58-37 score, the Falcons couldn’t quite figure out how to handle one of the top ranked 2A teams in the state until late in the game.

But aside from the first three quarters of play — in which the Falcons scored in the single digits — there were a lot of good things happening on the court. Junior Mary McCune led the team with a season-high 15 points, and the team had success in both the rebounding and free throw department. Pulling down 33 total rebounds on the night, the Falcons got their hands on the ball plenty, but had trouble getting past the Pioneer defense to make field goals.

When the team went to the line — which was rare in this game — the team was perfect, going 5-for-5 in its opportunities.

But the big problem with the game was the fact that the Pioneers were on theirs. After outscoring the Falcons 21-7 in the first quarter, they had a cushion that would last the entire contest.

“They just came out firing,” said Collier of the opposition.

With the loss, the girls fall to 0-3 on the season. After playing in a two-day tournament this weekend in Port Townsend, they take some time off before returning to the court Jan. 4 to play Ingraham.