MARYSVILLE — The start of the season proved exciting for the Arlington High School girls basketball team as they topped the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks in a 56-31 non-league victory at M-PHS on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

The Eagles held the lead for most of the game, although the first half was a close call. The first quarter gave Arlington a lead of five points, while the first half finished with the Eagles leading 24-19.

“The first games are always a little bit messy,” said AHS head coach Joe Marsh. “We were rusty in the first half.”

Arlington’s 5-foot-8 sophomore guard Jessica Ludwig led the scoring with 15 points in the game, while 5-foot-7 senior guard Krista Showalter scored 13 points in the game. Ludwig managed four 3-pointers in the game, while Showalter scored two. Lindsay Brown and Ronnie Ladines were also top scorers, with Brown scoring 11 points and Ladines scoring 9.

“We played much better in the second half, we were much more fundamentally strong,” said Marsh. “That’s what we try to do is play a strong basketball game.”

Marsh is excited about this year’s team, as the Eagles returned a number of players including six seniors — Showalter, Ladines, Brown, Taylor Graham, Winter Brown and Marissa Swegle.

“Krista [Showalter] and Lindsay [Brown] were both second team all-league picks last year,” said Marsh. “Ronnie Ladines, Taylor Graham and Winter Brown are all returning seniors. They know what to do, they know what I want them to do. After that, we are a really young team.”

This year’s varsity roster includes two freshman and one sophomore.

“We’ve got Jayla [Russ] who is a freshman but tall, she is 6-feet tall and very athletic. She is really a smart basketball player,” said Marsh. “And Emma [Janousek], our little point guard, is a freshman and she’s the same way, a really solid, smart basketball player.”

Following the season opener at Marysville-Pilchuck, Arlington faced Stanwood at home on Friday, Nov. 30, and came away with a 55-38 win over the 4A school, when Brown scored 21 points  and Showalter scored eight. Brown, Ludwig and Graham each scored a 3-pointer during the game.

Their record is now 2-0 overall and they are set to face Marysville Getchell High School Chargers in an away game on Dec. 5 at 7:15 p.m.