High school girls' hoops team wins three

Just a handful of games into its schedule, the high school girls' basketball team is already in mid-season form.

La Conner passed crisply, defended and rebounded tenaciously, repeatedly scored in transition and executed its high post-low post half-court offense to near perfection in an impressive 73-57 non-league triumph over 4A Skyline at Landy James Gym Saturday.

Ellie Marble scored a game-high 25 points, Makayla Herrera registered a double-double and Josie Harper tallied 17 points – including a pair of perimeter treys – as the team improved to 5-0 going into last night's scheduled non-conference home battle with 1A King's of Shoreline.

La Conner's double-digit win was even more impressive given the quality of its opponent.

"They're really good," head coach Joe Harper said afterward. "They can really shoot, especially from the corner. And they're the first team that's come out and tried to press us."

His team handled Skyline's backcourt pressure with little difficulty, though, committing just two turnovers in the first quarter and only five by halftime, at which point the Lady Braves had built a nice 38-24 cushion.

The hosts received strong contributions from their freshman backcourt tandem of Maeve McCormick and Shaniquah Casey.

McCormick finished with eight points, two rebounds and an assist. Casey drilled a three-pointer and dished off three assists, just one fewer than Josie Harper, who also notched four steals for the winners.

Skyline had issues all night matching up inside with Marble and Herrera.

Marble converted 10 of 15 shots in the paint and earned multiple trips to the foul line, where she knocked down five of nine free throws. Herrera was seven of eight from the floor and hit four of six charity tosses for 18 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

La Conner broke open a close contest with a 17-2 run bridging the first and second quarters. Marble and Herrera combined for 15 of the 17 points, a spurt highlighted by a deft scoop shot in traffic by the 6'-0" Marble.

Skyline managed to cut its deficit to nine at 31-22 but the Lady Spartans got no closer. The home team closed out the half with a 7-2 spurt capped by a deep trey from Harper off a feed by Marble.

La Conner was coming off equally convincing victories earlier in the week over non-league foes Blaine and Jackson.

The Lady Braves crushed 1A Blaine 69-20 on the road behind 24 points from Harper. Marble and Herrera also landed in double figures and Casey and McCormick contributing six points apiece.

La Conner thumped 4A Jackson 75-31 at home as Harper and Marble combined for 58 points and Herrera posted nine points and eight rebounds. Casey and McCormick rounded out the Lady Braves attack with four points each.

Kennedy Miller reeled in five rebounds and had a pair of assists for the victors, who meshed 29 of 56 shot attempts, including six of 17 beyond the trey arc.

La Conner resumes non-league play tomorrow, Dec. 15 with a 7:15 p.m. tipoff at Kamiak. The Lady Braves are scheduled at North Kitsap Friday at 6:15 p.m. and visit Mount Vernon Christian for a rare 3 p.m. matinee date on Saturday.

Boys' team scores

The boys' team stood at 2-4 in pre-league action following a 50-21 home loss to 1A Meridian and two-game split of road tests at Auburn Adventist and Rainier Christian. The Braves fell 62-50 to Auburn before rebounding to edge the Mustangs 44-39 Friday night.