Fernley Settles Score, but Churchill County Has Last Word

With the stakes high and the lights bright, the Fernley Vaqueros proved they could deliver. On Friday, they stepped onto the court with a score to settle and left with a decisive 61-50 victory over the North Valleys Panthers. Call it payback, call it justice—call it whatever you like—but Fernley showed they weren’t walking away with another close loss like they did back in January.

For North Valleys, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Ivy Williams played her heart out, nearly securing a double-double with 22 points and nine rebounds. Her hands were as quick as ever, notching multiple steals for the 21st game in a row. Annika Hester chipped in 14 points and seven boards, but even with their efforts, the Panthers couldn’t claw their way to victory.

Fernley, meanwhile, has been hitting its stride at the right time, winning five of its last six games and bringing their record to 21-6. Unfortunately, their momentum ran into a wall named Churchill County the next day, where they suffered a bruising 63-31 defeat.

As for North Valleys, their season is over. Fernley fought hard for their redemption, but in the unforgiving world of playoffs–one victory does not make a champion.