The Arlington High School girls basketball team picked up its 20th win of the season Tuesday, becoming the first Eagles squad since 2000 to do it.
No. 20 wasn't easy, though.
Top-seeded AHS (20-4 overall) trailed its Class C1-4 Subdistrict Tournament opener against Logan View/Scribner-Snyder (6-16) at halftime, but clawed back ahead during the third period to then break things open in the fourth. The 42-34 home victory secured coach Tashia Wolf's squad a spot in Thursday's subdistrict final against Fort Calhoun, which beat Tekamah-Herman to qualify.
The visiting Raiders earned their lead against Arlington at the very end of the first period. After trailing 7-2, Haley Isaac hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for an 11-8 advantage going into the second.
Eagles senior Taylor Arp said her squad didn't do a good job keeping track of Logan View's shooters early. Elli Christianson, Neveah Vacha and Isaac combined for four makes from long range as the underdogs built an 18-11 halftime advantage.
AHS' first-half inability to make shots didn't help matters, but the break's focus was to get back into the game however long it took.
“We were just told that we needed to chip away slowly,” Arp said. “We couldn't make up a seven-point lead in one shot. We just needed to be patient, and work and play basketball the we know how to play.”
It was slow going at first during the third period as the Eagles went just 4-for-8 from the foul line. Junior Britt Nielsen, however, evened the score at 21-all with a 2-for-2 trip to the stripe. The 5-foot-11 forward added the go-ahead bucket next as Arlington ultimately took a 25-24 advantage into the fourth period. Sophomore Macy Wolf actually preserved the Eagles' one-point lead with a blocked shot on Logan View's last possession of the quarter.
Across the final 8 minutes, though, AHS found itself, scoring 17 points to the Raiders' 10. Arp had five points during a stretch that moved the Eagles' advantage from three points to eight. Twice she was the recipient of on-point passes from Emme Timm, her point guard.
“Usually when she drives, I'm pretty confident that she's going to get there and make it,” Arp said. “But, if she gives a quick pass, I'm always prepared for the possibility there will be a pass.”
Nielsen led Arlington in victory with 16 points, while both Arp and Timm scored nine. Wolf notched seven points and Austyn Flesner knocked down a free throw as coach Wolf's squad secured just its school's second 20-win season in history.
AHS GIRLS HOOPS LINE SCORE
Tuesday
No. 10 Arlington 42, Logan View/Scribner-Snyder 34
LVSS (6-16) 11 7 6 10 — 34
AHS (20-4) 8 3 14 17 — 42
Scoring: AHS — Britt Nielsen 16, Taylor Arp 9, Emme Timm 9, Macy Wolf 7, Austyn Flesner 1.
LVSS — Sydney Sagehorn 13, Elli Christianson 9, Neveah Vacha 6, Haley Isaac 5, Keegan Francis 1.
