By Doug Petrowski

Reminiscent of their only loss at the King’s Christmas Tournament last weekend, the Mountlake Terrace girls basketball team built up a big lead only to run out of steam late, losing to Oak Harbor 48-44 Friday night in Wesco league action.

The Hawks came out pressuring on defense and scoring on offense, running out to a 17-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. By the end of the third Mountlake Terrace was up 38-28. As the Hawks tired in the fourth, Oak Harbor poured in on, outscoring Terrace 20-6 in the period and finishing with the four-point victory.

Mountlake Terrace (2-9) had gone 2-1 in their tournament appearance at King’s High School last weekend, their only lost a 52-45 defeat to Enumclaw in a game the Hawks led after three quarters 41-35.

The Hawks got another fine offensive performance Friday night from sophomore Samantha Romanowski, who led the team with 17 points. Oak Harbor (5-7) had only four scorers, but all tallied for double digits in points.

The Hawks next action comes on Wednesday, Jan. 9, in a home game against Marysville-Gretchell starting at 7:15 p.m.

Mountlake Terrace quarter scoring:    17 – 10 – 11 –   6 — 44

Oak Harbor quarter scoring:          9 – 12 –   7 – 20 — 48

Mountlake Terrace individual scoring: Samantha Romanowski 17; Maddie Kristjanson 9; Nikkie Froehlich 6; Riley Zucker 6; Taylor Smith 4; Kenzie Grayson 2; Kirsty Dale; Siera Prout; Shaian Pagaling

Oak Harbor individual scoring: Kelsey Rankin 18; Jalani Bobo 10; Annie Leete 10; Ciera Wiser 10; Melanie Callaway; Natalie Fiallos; Jinai Guzman; Hayley Lundstrom; Liz Lym; A. Whitefoot