After a high-flying 5-0 start to their 2013-2014 season, the Mountlake Terrace High School girls basketball team were brought back down to earth Tuesday night by Arlington, losing to the Eagles 53-31 at Mountlake Terrace High School.

The Hawks were blitzed by last year’s 4A state runner-ups, down 16-5 in the closing seconds of the first quarter before Riley Zucker hit a three-point bomb at the buzzer. Falling into foul trouble and unable to sustain any offensive rhythm, Terrace was never able to climb back and make a game of it.

Hawk junior Samantha Romanowski, averaging more than 20 points per game, was held to just three on Tuesday; Terrace was led in scoring by the 11 of senior Maddy Kristjanson. Arlington’s big 6-1 senior center Lyndsay Leatherman led all scorers with 21 points.

It was a frustrating night for Terrace as Hawk Coach Zach Wilde was assessed two technicals in the fourth quarter, followed by the ejection of a student in the MTHS “Rowdy Rooters” section. The remaining students left the gym with the ejected fan in a act of solidarity.

MTHS Girls Basketball versus Arlington, Dec. 17
Arlington 16 11 14 12 — 53
Terrace 8 5 8 10 — 31

MTHS individual scoring: Maddy Kristjanson 11; Nikkie Forehlich 7; Kenzie Zehrung 3; Samantha Romanowski 3; Kirsty Dale 3; Riley Zucker 3; Senaiet Zerom 1; Skylar Zenk; Shaian Pagaling; Amanda Tompkins

Arlington individual scoring: Lyndsay Leatherman 21; Sevi Bielser 11; Jayla Russ 10; Serafina Balderas 5; Jessica Ludwig 4; Emma Janousek 2; Emmi Madahl; Gracie Castaneda; Brittany DeNike

Records: Mountlake Terrace 5-1 overall, 1-0 in Wesco conference play; Arlington 5-0 overall, 1-0 in conference play

MTHS next game: versus Shorewood, Friday, Dec. 20, 7:15 p.m., Mountlake Terrace High School (to be broadcast live on the Sound Live Sports Network.

— By Doug Petrowski