GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL: <b>MOSES LAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 56</b>, WILSON CREEK 26

WILSON CREEK - Game, set, league championship.

Finally.

It has been something that has been sitting so close and yet so far for the Moses Lake Christian Academy Lady Lions basketball team: a league basketball title.

Last night at Wilson Creek, what appeared to be the forbidden fruit for so long was now sitting pretty within their shopping cart.

Behind the 21 points, 11 rebounds and six steals performance by Rachel Verhage and an awesome defensive performance in the first half, the Lady Lions captured the school's first ever league title by cruising past the host Lady Devils 56-26.

The Lady Lions (14-3, 7-0) now will claim the number one seed heading into the North Central Washington 1B district playoffs with the moniker as champions.

"This was a good win and with it we wrap up the regular season championship," Lady Lions head coach Bryce McPartland said. "With that and being a number one seed at districts we have now two firsts in the program's history. We are very proud of their efforts. We look forward to closing the season out strong this weekend."

Wilson Creek (7-9, 6-2) couldn't muster much offense against the relentless Academy defense as they were held to only seven points as the Lady Lions led 28-7 at intermission.

The Academy jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the first quarter.

"We came out in a full court pressure man defense and that worked out really well," McPartland said. "We scaled it back when foul trouble started hitting us early and often in the first quarter."

Despite the foul issues, Verhage's play helped catapult her squad as did Kristina Firouzi's solid like of 13 points, six assists, five assists, and five rebounds.

Abby Garrett also had a stand out game with 10 points and six steals.

Holly Wilson led Wilson Creek with 14 points while Clarissa Hansen added five points.