With the socially distanced benches in place of a whole side of the gym’s bleachers as soon as you walked in, you could tell that this year’s crosstown matchup between City High was going to be like no other.

The girls basketball team defeated the Little Hawks 75-63 behind 20 points from senior Audrey Koch in the team’s season opener on Dec. 18. BJ Mayer’s Trojans debuted not only their new uniforms but a couple of new options off of the bench and the long-awaited return of talented point guard Emma Ingersoll-Weng ’22.

After only five practices it was evident that both teams were a little rusty but West was able to capitalize early on some of the Little Hawk’s mistakes and go on a 10-2 run with a minute left in the first quarter to retake the lead 14-9.

Back to back Matayia Tellis ’21 buckets stretched the Trojans’ lead to 7 with 5 minutes left in the first half. Mayer’s high tempo offense kept the Little Hawks on their heals the rest of the half, the Trojans were able to penetrate and dish for open shots and push the ball up the floor for multiple fast breakpoints. Going into the half West led 38-28.

Sitting comfortably up by 10 coming out of half the Trojans got too comfortable and watched their lead slip away throughout the third quarter. A 6-0 City High run to put the Trojans up only by three with three minutes left in the third quarter. As the West High defense tried to find a way to stop City High’s Kelsey Joens ’23 they found themselves down by one going into the fourth quarter, 51-52.

With the help of some frontcourt pressure and fresh legs off of the bench, freshman Lucy Wolf and Melae’ Lacy got a taste of not only the cross-town rivalry but varsity basketball as West went on a 16-2 run with four minutes left in the fourth up 67-56. Koch’s experience against City allowed her to put up 11 of her own in the fourth quarter alone to seal the deal for game one of the night.

The now 1-0 girls basketball team will be back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at home versus Linn-Mar.

Gallery • 12 Photos

Owen Aanestad

Matayia Tellis '21 knocks down a floater over two City High defenders on Dec. 18.