The South Whidbey High School girls basketball team opened the season with its second straight win, defeating host Port Townsend 36-29 Friday, Dec. 6, but then suffered its first loss, falling to visiting Bush 47-34 Saturday.
The Falcons (2-1) have a pair of tough non-league games this week. First, they travel to 2A Sedro-Woolley (1-1) at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, and then they host 3A Oak Harbor (3-0) at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13.
Oak Harbor nipped Sedro-Woolley 53-51 Saturday.
South Whidbey 36, Port Townsend 29
After falling behind 16-5 in the first quarter, the Falcons came roaring back for the win.
South Whidbey limited the Redhawks to only 13 points after the opening period, including shutting out Port Townsend in the fourth quarter.
Six different Falcons scored in the second period, including 4 points from Simone White, as South Whidbey began its comeback, trimming the deficit to 5, 23-18, at halftime.
Three-balls by Madi Knauer and Zoe West helped the Falcons get to within 1, 29-28, going into the final period.
Sami Daly hit three key free throws in the fourth quarter and Arianna Briggs and Ella Wood added field goals as the Falcons finished the rally.
Ten different Falcons scored in the game, led by the 6 points of Knauer, Briggs and Isabelle Wood. White and Ella Wood each had 4; West and Daly finished with 3; Emma Hodson collected 2; and Liz Haines and Kayla Knauer had 1 apiece.
Izzy Hammett tallied 8 for Port Townsend (1-2).
Bush 47, South Whidbey 34
Poor shooting sunk the Falcons.
South Whidbey not only struggled from the field but missed 22 free throws, going 9-for-31 at the line.
Bush led 9-8 after the first quarter even though Mary Moss and Daly canned three-balls for the Falcons.
Hodson scored 4 points, Moss hit another three-pointer and Briggs added 3 points, but the Blazers inched ahead 25-20 at the break.
Lili Finch scored 8 points for Bush in the third quarter to counter 5 from the Falcons’ Hadley Eager, and the Blazers led 40-28 going into the final period.
South Whidbey received points from 11 players: Moss, 6; Eager, 6; Hodson, 6; Briggs, 3; Daly, 3; Isabelle Wood, 3; Haines, 2; Kayla Knauer, 2; Madi Knauer, 1; Nikki Murnane, 1; and West, 1.
Finch scored 16 and Aniyah Grant 12 for the Blazers (1-2).
Arianna Briggs is left along under the basket. (Photo by John Fisken)
Sami Daly goes on the attack for the Falcons. (Photo by John Fisken)
Elizabeth Haines leads a Falcon fast break. (Photo by John Fisken)
Isabelle Wood shoots over the defense of Bush’s Sosna Biniam. (Photo by John Fisken)
Point guard Kayla Knauer looks to set up the South Whidbey offense. (Photo by John Fisken)
