When determining whether a team has the chance to be special, you often look at how they respond to adversity.

Tuesday night, the undefeated and No. 2 ranked girls team in 2A Valley Falls dealt with just that trailing Jackson Heights in the second quarter, but responded with a 17-2 third quarter to knock off the Lady Cobras, 48-27, in Valley Falls.

The Lady Dragons had trouble finding a rhythm early offensively scoring just seven points and trailing after one, 9-7. Jackson Heights junior Hannah Williams led the charge in the opening minutes compiling six first quarter points.

Valley Falls finally started to generate offense in the second quarter with senior Jenna Kramer nailing back-to-back 3-pointers to start to turn the momentum, and the Lady Dragons took advantage leading 19-16 at halftime.

In the third, Valley Falls took control of the game behind a 17-0 run, with the only basket of the quarter for Jackson Heights coming at the buzzer.

Valley Falls remains unbeaten on the year (17-0, 13-0 NEKL) and travels to Immaculata (8-9, 5-8) Friday. Jackson Heights (5-12, 4-9 NEKL) hits the road Friday for a matchup with McLouth (1-17, 0-14).

Valley Falls: Jenna Kramer – 13, Ali Brown – 8, Sydney Gish – 8, Callie Watson – 8, Reagan Kirkwood – 5, Rachel Frakes – 3, Macee Jepson – 2, Lauren Harrington – 1.

Jackson Heights: Katelin Strube – 12, Hannah Williams – 8, Alexis Rieschick – 4, Becca Gibson – 3.

BOYS

Heading into their matchup with Jackson Heights, the Valley Falls boys had the game plan of not letting Cobra senior Zane Richter beat them as he has done to so many NEKL teams this year averaging 24.6 points per game.

Tuesday night the Dragons limited the lethal scorer to just 18 points, but Richter was picked up by junior Wyatt Olberding who tallied 21 points in a 65-47 Cobra win.

Richter got off to a hot start scoring the first seven Jackson Heights points of the game, giving the Cobras a 15-9 lead after the first quarter.

The Cobra defense took over in the second forcing 11 Dragon turnovers, while Olberding drilled four treys and compiled 14 total points in the quarter to push the game out of reach by halftime, 37-17.

Jackson Heights forced 20 total turnovers in the game with 18 coming in the first half.

The Cobras (15-2, 13-0 NEKL) can wrap up at least a share of the league crown with a win at McLouth (0-17, 0-14) Friday, or win it outright with a win and a JCN loss. Valley Falls (11-6, 9-4) meanwhile continues NEKL play Friday at Immaculata (5-12, 4-9).

Jackson Heights: Wyatt Olberding – 21, Zane Richter – 18, Westin Jacobsen – 14, Mason Thomas – 9, Brady Holliday – 2.

Valley Falls: Zac Allen – 21, Marty Gatzemeyer – 13, Chris Yates – 7, Adam Pickerell – 2, Koltyn Maltsbarger – 2, Matthew Branham – 2.