MLCA girls pick up road win
MLCA Lions Basketball
WATERVILLE - Three players scored in double figures as the Lady Lions rolled past the Waterville, 58-40 Tuesday. Anna Yarbro led the way for Moses Lake Christian Academy (MLCA) with 19 points.
Dani Sanberg added 16, and Madison Yamane finished with 15 points. The win over the Shockers keeps the Lions undefeated record in tack, and cements MLCA in first place in the Central Washington 1B South Conference.
"I wouldn't have believed a 5-0 start with the closest win being a 20-point margin was probable," coach Bryce McPartland said. "I'm very proud of our players, and how they've responded to our early season challenges."
McPartland said the road game was particularly difficult to play as the team learned prior to boarding the bus that the Yarbro family home had be destroyed by a fire.
"I cannot say enough about the character of Anna Yarbro," he said. "She is a great basketball player, but her value to us goes well beyond what any box score says. She had every reason not to play in this game, but she insisted on it and kept the team going.."
The Lions jumped out to a 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. MCLA increased the score to 30-21 at the half as the team scored 18 second quarter points to the Shocker's 15.
An 18-6 run in the third quarter stretched the Lions lead to 48-27. Waterville put 11 points on the board to the Lions 10 in the fourth quarter, but still lost the contest by 18.
"This is probably one of the better scoring teams we've had on the girls' side at the Academy," McPartland said. "Defensively, we're suffering a few too many lapses, and surrendering more points than I'd like, but a road win against a competitive team is never a horrible thing, and under the circumstances we'll take it."
MLCA (2-0, 5-0) is back in action Friday night when the Lions host the Columbia Basin Secondary School (1-2, 3-4) Phoenix at 6 p.m.
The Moses Lake Christian Academy boys game against Thorp was canceled due to illness on the Tigers squad.
The Lions match up with the Phoenix Friday at 7:30.