By Steve Morris

Expectations and enthusiasm were high as the Rush City girls basketball team opened the season on the road against Foley Nov. 27.

It turned out not to be their night as the girls had problems getting into offensive sets and lost the game by a score of 45-20.

In the first half, the girl Tigers scored just six points, compared to 24 points by the Foley Falcons. In the second half, the girls doubled their offensive production with 14 points but Foley was too far ahead for the girls to make up the ground lost in the first half.

New head coach Mark Henrich said the girls understand what they need to do to get better.

"We played hard but had trouble getting into our offense," he said.

Brittany Scheffer, Chenoa Fields and Jenna Scheffer each had four points in the loss. Fields finished as the team's leading rebounder with five. Brittany Scheffer and Jenna Scheffer each added two assists in the game.

With the first game under their belts and the nerves settled, the girls played the Pine City Dragons on Nov. 30 and had a much better showing. In the end, the girls lost, 48-42, but it was a much more competitive game.

The outcome was quit different than last year's game against the Dragons. Last season, the girls fell to Pine City 35-58.

"We seemed to take care of some of the things that hurt us in our first game," Henrich said.

In what Henrich called a "D-inspired game" the girls came out from the start ready to play. They fought back from 10 points behind twice in the game and took the lead with three minutes left in the game. However, it was foul trouble and injuries that did the girls in.

Jenna Scheffer led the team with 10 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double.

Lauren Weber added eight points in the loss.

"Pine City played a good game and it was an exciting game for our girls and fans to be involved in," Henrich said.

Up next, the girls play East Central at home on Thursday.