e game sooner than expected for the Wauneta-Palisade girls’ basketball team. After a win over Maywood/Hayes Center Friday night, the Broncos’ Saturday game against Arthur County was called due to the weather.
    The cancellation didn’t diminish WP’s effort Friday. WP and MHC had played 16 days ago in the RPAC tournament. MHC got the better of the Broncos that day, advancing in the tournament with a 37-57 win.
    WP had other plans Friday in Hayes Center.
    Faith Simpson powered the Broncos all evening long. Simpson scored 14 of WP’s 16 first quarter points. The Broncos led 16-8 at the end of the first quarter.
    “We got off to a great first quarter defensively and it led to some points in transition,” WP Coach Matt Cox said.
    Destiny Beacham made a first quarter basket for WP and Reagan Skow added one in the second quarter, while Michaela Dukes added a free throw. Simpson’s offensive output slowed in the second quarter, but picked up once more in the second half.
    The senior scored all of WP’s eight points in the third quarter and added 11 more in the fourth for a total of 36 points in the game.
    WP held a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter, but MHC bounced back to close the gap to three, 28-25.
    The lead was back to 10 early in the fourth quarter and the Wolves were never able to get closer than six points.
    Monique Gooden made four-of-seven free throws down the stretch for WP and Haylee Sandman added one in the fourth quarter of the win.
    MHC’s 37 points was its second lowest output of the season.
    “I thought our defense was outstanding in all four quarters,” Cox said. “MHC is super athletic and does well in tempo situations. Their defense is really long and fast and we didn’t do a great job scoring as a team.”
    Though Simpson had an “unbelievable game on the offensive end of the floor,” Cox said team defense was the difference.
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