Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette Jeffers Taylor Heinonen lines up a free throw shot on Thursday in a game against the Chassell Panthers at the Ed Helakoski Gym in Chassell.

CHASSELL — After two tough games last week against this area’s top two girls’ teams, the Baraga Vikings and the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes, Thursday night’s game against the Chassell Panthers was a welcomed rest for coach Chad Larson and the Jeffers Jets. They won the contest, 37-22, at the Ed Helakoski Gym.

“I was really pleased with our defense,” he said. “We played a zone, and the pressure got to them. It is something we’ve been working on.”

The Jets took off to a 12-5 lead in the opening quarter. That expanded into 24-8 lead at half.

While the Jets scored eight in the third, the Panthers scored zero. However, the Chassell five had their best eight minutes in the fourth, where they outscored the Jets 14-5. This included five points from the Panthers Megan Holombo. She led the team with 11.

Despite the fourth-quarter push, it was too little too late, and the Jets held on to a 15-point win. They improved to 7-9 on the season.

Taylor Heinonen led the Jets in scoring with 14 points.

“We are getting better every game,” said Larson. “We are seeing improvements every game little by little. I also was pleased with the fact that everyone got into this game. It is important for those girls who do not see a lot of playing time to have some game-time experience.”

UP NEXT

The Jets will travel to L’Anse to take on the Purple Hornets on Monday. Game time set for 7:15 p.m. That same night the Panthers will welcome the Watersmeet Nimrods to the Ed Helakoski Gym in the Chassell.