Coaches talk with the Panthers during a timeout against Crane Saturday. 

The Prairie City girls basketball team fell 59-27 against the Crane Mustangs on Saturday at the High Desert League Tournament Championship Game, but the Panthers placed second to advance to the state tournament.

They were scheduled to play Chiloquin Tuesday past press time.

Saturday’s game started with junior Abbey Pfefferkorn scoring 2 points in the first minute of the game, but the Mustangs quickly followed up with 2 of their own.

For most of the first quarter, the score was close. In the latter half, Mustangs sophomore Kelsie Siegner scored 2 points, which created momentum for Crane to begin building a lead. The first quarter ended with Crane ahead 8-16.

Crane continued their momentum by scoring 17 points in the second, while limiting the Panthers to 7. Even with Crane’s lead growing by the end of the first half, 15-33, the Panthers continued to work together for the second half of the game.

As the last quarter began, Prairie City fought back with freshman Laken McKay scoring a free throw for a point and then followed up with another 2 points.

Crane finished on top, 59-27.

Prairie City freshman Betty Ann Wilson said it felt good to play in a championship game and be one of two teams out of the league with the opportunity.

“The team has really come a long way,” Wilson said.

Panthers head coach Bo Workman said the team’s effort, intensity and intention is a lot better than it was at the beginning of the season.

“They’ve really come around, and it is not just one player,” Workman said. “It is every one of them.”