2017 Valley Falls Girls Sub-State Champions (photo courtesy of Bobbi Kearney)

For the third straight year the Valley Falls lady Dragons are assured a Top four finish at the Class 2A State basketball tournament after claiming a 31-26 win over Berean Academy in the first round on Thursday. 

While the game was a low scoring affair the defense of Valley Falls stymied Berean Academy and pushed the Dragons into the Semifinals. Valley Falls led 7-5 after the first quarter and by halftime were up 17-12 and neither team broken double figures in the third or fourth quarter but the Dragons held off Berean to secure the win. Despite being out-rebounded 33-14 the Dragons picked up the win while shooting 39.3% and held Berean Academy to just 26.5% from the floor going just 9-34 and 1-9 from three-point range and forced 22 by the Warriors of Berean Academy.

Reagan Kirkwood led Valley Falls with 12 points, while Allison Kearney chipped in eight points for the Dragons helping the team improve to 21-3 on the season. 

The win moves Valley Falls into the 2A Semifinals on Friday, March 10th where they will play the number one seed Central Plains at 3:00pm in Manhattan.