Dimond cutters

WASILLA — The Wasilla Warriors girl’s basketball squad used a strong collaborative team effort and a big first half to open the season with a victory Thursday night against the Diamond Lynx.

Senior standout Jenna Johnson scored 20 points to lead the Warriors to a 76-54 victory.

Although Johnson was her usual self, Warrior head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said that her team also benefited from contributions from all fronts.

“We all know that Jenna is going to score,” Hebert-Truax said. “But we got very good production from everybody else today.”

The Warriors, after a relatively close first quarter, pulled out to a 22-point first-half lead. The charge was fueled by strong efforts from sophomores Celeste Colegrove, who scored 17 points, and Kelsey Cottle, who added 13.

In the second half the Lynx made efforts to tighten up the game, making a run early in the fourth quarter that cut the lead to 16.

But the hard-nosed defense of the Warriors forced the Lynx to make too many turnovers late in the fourth and the Warriors pulled out to a large lead to ice the game.

Johnson, who started the game hot with 11 first-quarter points, took a beating from the opposing team, especially on a hard foul that sent her to the floor in the second quarter. On the next play, she forced a turnover and made a bucket with a foul, which she converted into a three-point play.

“She gets hit and shoved all the time,” Herbert-Truax said. “It’s amazing, because she bounces back each time.”

Keiahnna Engel lead the way for the Lynx offense, scoring a game-high 35 points.

“Keiahhna is a very good player and we knew she was going to score,” Herert-Tuax said. “But we did a good job of limiting everybody else.”

And while Johnson brought her usual game and experience, Herbert-Truax was proud of how some of her younger players performed.

“We have a young team and I think they all responded well to the pressure,” she said.

Next up for the Warriors is a trip to Juneau next week for the Capital City Classic.

Contact Tyson Alger at sports@frontiersman.com or 352-2273.