The South Whidbey High School girls basketball team had a tough time controlling Chimacum’s Mia McNair as the Cowboys slipped by the Falcons 51-37 Wednesday, Jan. 23, in a non-league game in Langley.

McNair led Chimacum in scoring every period on the way to tallying 28 points to help the Cowboys, leaders of the Olympic League 1A division, up their season record to 10-5.

South Whidbey (0-7, 2-15) returns to league play when it faces Granite Falls (2-6, 4-13) at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, in the final home game of the season.

The Falcons need to tame the Tigers to remain in the hunt for a playoff berth.

Chimacum 51, South Whidbey 37

South Whidbey’s Arianna Briggs, Kayla Knauer and Emma Hodson all hit hoops in the first quarter, but McNair countered with a three-ball and scored 5 points as Chimacum went up 14-6.

The Cowboys outscored the Falcons by just 1 point over the middle periods, as South Whidbey fought to say in the game.

McNair scored 8 points in the second quarter, but Knauer also had 8, including two three-pointers, and Hodson added 6 and South Whidbey matched Chimacum’s 14 points to keep the deficit at 8, 28-20.

The Cowboys only outscored South Whidbey 10-9 in the third quarter as the Falcons received 4 points from Briggs. South Whidbey, however, received a blow when Hodson fouled out in the period.

McNair secured the win for Chimacum by pumping in 11 points in the fourth quarter.

The Falcons mustered only one field goal in the final period, a three-pointer by Knauer.

Knauer scored a season-high 13 points to pace South Whidbey. Hodson had 10, Briggs 7, Farriss Jokinen 3, Ella Wood 3 and Sammi Daly 1.

“Kayla played really well, as did Arianna on the boards,” South Whidbey coach Jeff Hanson said.

Jada Trafton backed McNair by scoring 10 points for the Cowboys.