The (8-13) Atlantic Trojans Girls Basketball team failed to keep up with Harlan in the second half on Tuesday night which resulted in a 54-36 loss. The Trojans came out calm in the first quarter taking the lead early and battled against sharp perimeter shooting from the Cyclones with the game being tied three times. Atlantic was able to get the edge at the end of the first being up 10-9. At the start of the second quarter Harlan went on a 7-0 run with multiple Kenzley Bruck baskets in the low post to take the lead 16-10.

Towards the end of the second quarter Paytn Harter achieved her 1000th point as an Atlantic Trojan and the whole bench erupted. Atlantic went into the locker room down 25-20, but it seemed they were rejuvenated. In the second half of the game Harlan discovered that Atlantic had no answer for Erica Rust’s paint play as she went on to score 16 points in the last 16 minutes of play. Rust was a major part in a 10-0 run at the beginning of the fourth and the Trojans struggled to respond throughout the rest of the night.

Makenna Schroeder led the Trojans in scoring with 12 points and Paytn Harter chipped in 8. The Cyclones were led in scoring by Erica Rust with 20 and Aubrey Schwieso added 13.

An 18-point loss is always hard to acknowledge, but Head Coach Dan Vargason did like the difference in physicality his team showed up with in their second game against Harlan.

Recording 1000 points is a monumental moment and Coach Vargason was filled with pride for Paytn Harter.

The Cyclones improve to 16-3 with the win and host OABCIG on Saturday for the first round of the postseason. Atlantic drops to 8-13 and will travel up to Southeast Valley on Saturday for the start of their postseason.