HUMBOLDT — Some hot early shooting gave Humboldt High’s girls just the spark they needed Friday.
The Lady Cubs raced out to a 22-4 lead over Erie by the start of the second quarter.
And while things slowed considerably for Humboldt from there, allowing the Red Devils to come to within two points in the third quarter, some timely buckets helped Humboldt close out a 45-36 win.
The victory, coming in the third and final game of the Humboldt Preseason Tournament, puts the Lady Cubs at 4-0 on the young season.
Humboldt hosts Marmaton Valley Tuesday.
McKenna Jones offered the early spark, connecting twice from 3-point range in the first quarter, as Humboldt raced to a 20-4 lead.
Another bucket pushed the lead to 18 early in the second.
But Erie responded with some stifling defense, paring Humboldt’s lead to 28-15 by halftime, and then scoring the first 11 points of the second half.
The Red Devils even had back-to-back possessions with a chance to tie or take the lead, but Humboldt’s defense held each time.
Kenisyn Hottenstein drained a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch to help re-establish a healthy working margin.
Jones led Humboldt with 14 points, followed by Hottenstein with 11 and Ricklyn Hillmon with seven.
Alex Pasquarelli scored 10 to lead Erie.
Erie (4-11-11-10–36)
FG/3pt FT F TP
Daniels 1/2 1 4 9
Pasquarelli 3 4 4 10
M. Hodgden 0 0 2 0
Cleaver 2/1 2 2 9
Welch 0 0 2 0
Collins 0 0 4 0
Palser 2/1 1 2 8
Totals 8/4 8 20 36
Humboldt (20-8-7-10—45)
S. Hottenstein` 0 0 2 0
Jones 4/2 0 3 14
Wrestler 2 0 0 4
K. Hottenstein 1/2 3 3 11
Shaughnessy 1 4 3 6
Hillmon 2 3 4 7
Hull 0 3 3 3
Ellis 0 0 2 0
Totals 10/4 13 21 45
