In the first quarter of the girls varsity Sweetheart game, senior Evan Bail started off with four quick points to give BVNW a 4-2 edge to BVW. During that first quarter, the Huskies went on a 9-0 run including five straight points from senior Bridget Harrison during the run. Harrison said the team was prepared, which proved to be successful during the first quarter and the remainder of the first half.

“We came out really strong and we were all ready for the game,” Harrison said. “So, we came out on them and we were all warmed up with our shooting.”

Through the second quarter, the Huskies maintained their lead from their defense and a pair of 3’s scored by Harrison and senior Sarah Martin both in the last three minutes of the quarter. Martin said while defense was the key to success in the first half, the offense was what built the lead.

“We all came out and shot really well,” Martin said. “It gave us good mojo the first half.”

The Huskies went into halftime with a 30-19 lead. Once the second half began, the Huskies would begin with a three by Martin to start the half. Still, BVW fought back with a five-point run of their own before senior Kate Kaufman’s made shot with a foul.  

After Kaufman’s shot, BVW fouled junior Haley Shin’s made shot for another and-one. Shin would eventually miss the free throw and the Jaguars would outscore the Huskies 6-1 before Kaufman was once again fouled, where she went ½ on her free throws. A three by Harrison with about two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

After Harrison’s three, this would be the last time the Huskies would score for the rest of the quarter when the score was 42-34 in favor of BVNW.  To end the quarter, BVW would go on a 12-0 run giving them a 46-42 lead over BVNW.  Head coach Brian Bubalo said constant fouls from the Huskies led to the Jaguars ending up with the lead at the end of the third quarter along with poor defense.

“We definitely did not play well,” Bubalo said. “We did not guard well and we fouled too much, they shot a bunch of free throws.”

In the fourth and final quarter, the Huskies attempted to make a comeback against BVW. Free throws were really important with their attempt of their comeback as Kaufman went a perfect 2/2 at the line in the fourth quarter in part of a 6-0 run to bring them within two of BVW.  BVW would eventually be able to pull away from the Huskies despite Harrison going 2/2 from the line with a pair of free throws with 2:27 remaining to bring them within five of the Jaguars.  The Huskies would go on to lose, 56-61.

Bubalo said the poor defense led to BVW scoring a significantly larger amount of points in the second half versus the first half.

“The main difference in the second half is that we gave up 42 points but in the first half we only gave up 19,” Bubalo said.

Despite the loss, Harrison said she saw lots of improvement from Tuesday’s game against Bishop Miege where they lost 26-62.

“I just think after losing by so much on Tuesday that the competition had helped us come out even harder on Friday,” Harrison said. “Hopefully it will carry us on later into the season.”

Blue Valley Northwest falls to 7-9 with the loss. Their next game is Tuesday Feb. 13 at home against Mill Valley. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 5:30 p.m.