Season openers are made for shaking off rust, shaping up shooting legs and showing the newcomers what life is like on the varsity basketball court.
The Hanford Falcons accomplished all that and picked up a win to boot Friday night.
Colette Gall scored 17 points, and the host Falcons eased into the season with a 55-35 win over the visiting Class 1A Connell Eagles.
"First game out, and I think we were very excited to start the season," said Hanford coach Evan Woodward. "There were some good things I saw. It was a good way to start the season."
Michelle Schultz scored nine points to top Connell.
CONNELL -- Michelle Schultz 9, J. Hawkins, Vickerman 6, M. Hawkins 8, Easterday 3, Booker, Boyd, Riner 2, Kroontje 5, Spencer 2, English, Thompson.
HANFORD -- Colette Gall 17, Stewart 8, Hall 3, Shintaffer 8, Steele 2, Roueche, Thompson 1, Foraker 4, Winsor 12.
Connell 5 9 12 9 -- 35
Hanford 21 13 11 10 -- 55
Ferris 59, Chiawana 55: Delaney Hodgins scored 22 points and Sierra Perez added 12, but the Riverhawks came up short in their opener at home.
"It wasn't bad; we kind of ran out of gas in the second quarter and spotted them a lead," said Chiawana coach Steve Davis, noting the Riverhawks' six-point second quarter. "Overall, it wasn't too bad."
FERRIS -- Lenhart 16, Areta 2, Johnson 13, Liss 7, Louthian 2, Bowton 8, Strauss 11.
CHIAWANA -- Delaney Hodgins 22, B. Hodgins 2, Perez 12, Alferness 4, Gonzales 6, Sullivan 3, Cartwright 6.
Ferris 13 15 16 14 -- 59
Chiawana 19 6 12 18 -- 55
Eastmont 74, Pasco 52: Melissa Rodriguez scored 18 points as the inexperienced Bulldogs made a solid showing on the road.
Five Pasco players made their varsity debuts, including freshmen Alicia Lopez (12 points, six rebounds, two assists) and Jay Martinez (11 points, seven rebounds), who started.
PASCO -- Melissa Rodriguez 18, Lopez 12, Garza, Martinez 11, Perez 6, Cruz 1, Ayala 3, Sullivan 1. Totals 18-52 11-21 52.
EASTMONT -- Gilbert 16, Jacobus 2, Rookard 6, Mongeon, Buterbaugh 13, Mataya, Best 7, Buterbaugh 9, Lavagnino 10, Waterhouse 7, Jackson 4, Sabian. Totals 31-61 9-20 74.
Kamiakin 51, West Valley (Yak) 36: Lindsey Schauble scored 14 points, and Courtney Nelson and Sira Toure each added 12 as the Braves opened with a road win.
Kamiakin -- Lindsey Schauble 14, Courtney Nelson 12, Sira Toure 12, Ellison 7, Oord, Arnold 4, Krandall 2.
West Valley -- Weber 5, Reyes 9, Webb 2, Gray 12, Faner 5.
Kamiakin 13 10 11 17 -- 51
West Valley 4 7 10 15 -- 36
Kiona-Benton 58, Prosser 51: Bailey Schroeder had 22 points and five assists to lead the Bears to a win at home in a rare matchup with their nonleague neighbor.
"We were up 15 at one time, and anytime you're up 15 on a team like Prosser, you're playing pretty well," said Ki-Be coach Joe Wirtzberger.
Sydney Mercer scored 19 points to lead the Mustangs.
Prosser -- Sydney Mercer 19, Price, Durbin 2, Carillo, Adams 6, Meirndorf 5, Davis 9, Kilian 10, Haringa, Roberts.
Kiona-Benton -- Bailey Schroeder 22, Holt 5, M. Calzadillas 9, Acevedo 6, Pendergast 8, Thornton, Phalen, Elliott 2, Mudd, J. Calzadillas 6.
Prosser 13 10 16 12 -- 51
Kiona-Benton 15 16 16 11 -- 58
Highlights -- Momo Calzadillas 7 assits; Schroeder 5 assists; Kayzin Holt 7 rebounds.
Tri-Cities Prep 55, River View 44: Maddie LeBrun scored a game-high 24 points to lead the host Jaguars past the Panthers in nonleague action.
McKenzie Smith finished with 14 points for River View.
RIVER VIEW -- Wilhelm 2, McKenzie Smith 14, Munson 2, Dickinson 7, Williamson 7, Washington 4, Robertson 8, Walker, Salter, Vasquez.
TRI-CITIES PREP -- LaHoz 2, Barnett 12, Vargas 2, Ingraham 4, Hirsch 11, Maddie LeBrun 24, Thornhill, Whitsett, Alexis.
River View 7 13 17 7 -- 44
Tri-Cities Prep 10 14 12 19 -- 55
