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The Lancers managed to hit 8 shots from downtown, 4 of them coming from the game's high scorer, Senior, Clara Juengel, who had 21.  More importantly, it wasn't how many shots she hit, it was when she hit them.  Valley Lutheran played an inspired first quarter, going up 4-0 to start the game and leading for most of the opening quarter.  The two top teams traded blows but with a second left in the first quarter, Juengel landed the biggest of the game so far.  Down 14-8, after VL's Stephanie Faller nailed a rim rolling three, the Creek went on a 7-0 run to end the quarter.  With 10 seconds to go, Juengel laid it in on a touchdown pass from Rachel Church.  Valley Lutheran in-bounded the ball but was called for traveling with 8.3 on the clock.  With time ticking down, Juengel got herself open, received the pass and nailed a three as time ran out on the quarter, putting the Lancers up 15-14.

The teams played neck and neck in the 2nd quarter but the three ball made the difference again, as Juengel sank three more from downtown, helping power a 18-11 2nd quarter that extended their lead to 8, 33-25 at the half.  The Lancers ended the 2nd quarter, just as they had the first with an unscored upon run, this time 8-0 after being tied at 25.  The run was started by a bucket down low from Jennifer Kreucher, then two treys from Juengel. 

With their backs to the wall, Valley Lutheran answered the call and put Bullock Creek back on their heels.  Juengel opened the half with a basket and foul, just 10 seconds into the half.  She hit the free throw to put Bullock Creek up by 11, the biggest lead of the game.  The Charger's Faller started their run with a three ball.  The three sparked a 9-0 run that cut the lead to 2 at 36-34.  After Faller's three, Christine Witchger scored, followed by two straight baskets by Natalie Begick.  Both teams traded baskets and then Bullock Creek put together a run that would make the final difference.  The momentum changer came off of a Creek miss where Kreucher grabbed the offensive rebound in traffic, put it home off the glass and was fouled in the process.  Kruecher sank the free throw to make it 41-36, then came the haymakers that opened the gap.  Lancer Senior, Jessica Chatterton nailed back to back threes to push the lead back to 11.  Church then joined the three party, hitting from downtown, extending the lead to 50-38 and after a 2 point answer from the Chargers' Witchger, it was 50-40 after three. 

The fourth quarter was back and forth but almost never in doubt as both teams slowed the scoring pace with just 9 points a piece, making the score final at 59-49.  I watched two of the better teams in the state in their own class.  Both played well in the wide open, and pressed each other well but it was the halfcourt game that spelled the difference for Bullock Creek.  They were smothering defensively in halfcourt and took advantage of the open shooter when on offense.  Without the three point shooting of BC, who knows what the result would have been, that's part of the game however and the Lancers took advantage of it and there great shooters.  The future looks great for both of these teams, that goes for behind March as well.  Bullock Creek has a great core of Senior leadership but has a lot of youth that will be able to carry the program over the next couple of years.  Valley Lutheran, even more so.  Outside of Witchger and Begick, both Senior starters, this team is loaded with underclassman, including Freshman Kayla Engelhard.  It will be exciting to see how these two team represent the TVC come February and if they continue to succeed, March.