The 2025-26 area girls basketball season began with a bang Friday at Lone Tree High School, as the home Lady Lions toppled the Iowa Valley Tigers 58-24 and the Keota Eagles drubbed the Highland Huskies 73-51 in a doubleheader heard live on KCII.

In the opener, Keota outscored the Huskies in every quarter but the last to capture a dominant win. The Eagles held the early advantage 18-12 after the opening frame, 34-16 at half and 52-29 after three. Unofficially, Keota paced the rebounding battle 40-29, with Highland winning turnovers by two. Four Eagles had at least nine points, led by an unofficial 26 from Washington County Hospital and Clinics Player of the Game, sophomore Cameron Haifley. Haifley joined KCII Sports postgame to talk about the win.

“It feels really great. I knew that it was going to be hard to come into a hard game like this, so I’m glad that we pulled it off and got our stuff together,” Haifley said.

Senior teammate Kennedy Jackson also joined KCII Sports postgame to share her emotions after the season-opening win. “I really think my teammates did a really good job of looking inside,” Jackson said. “Also, I blocked the six-foot girl, so that was very nice!”

Highland was led by Kamryn Fink’s 19 points.

In the nightcap, the Lone Tree Lady Lions also handled each end of the court against their opposition from Marengo. Lone Tree began the game on a 23-8 run spanning the entire first period, followed by a 16-3 run spanning the whole second to take a 39-11 advantage into the home locker room. In the win, the Lady Lions had three players in double figures, led by senior Ava Christofferson’s 19. Finley Jacque seconded with 15, and Harper Kuboushek had 10. Christofferson joined KCII Sports postgame to go over the monster night.

“I think our team tonight especially had really good ball movement, was able to create those open shots for me. Good passes as well. Good passes makes good shooters is what coach always tells me,” Christofferson said.

Unofficially, the Lady Lions won turnovers by two and rebounds by 20. Iowa Valley was led by 12 points from junior Maeci Marshall.

With their wins, Keota and Lone Tree raise their records to 1-0 on the young season, while Highland and Iowa Valley drop to 0-1. All teams come back Saturday for night two, while the Area Game of the Week heads to Sigourney Saturday for a boys and girls doubleheader between the home Savages and the Hillcrest Academy Ravens.