The Galena High girls basketball team pulled off the first stunning upset of the season and sent a message that it could be an NIAA 4A State power in the process.
Galena shocked perennial state power Centennial 56-47 on Thursday. The win was especially surprising since Centennial lost only one key player from last year's team that went 33-4.
"It was unexpected I would think," Galena coach Karen Friel said. "It was a very nice win."
The game also wasn't as close as the final score as the Grizzlies built a 32-18 halftime lead and led 48-32 after three quarters. Galena was never seriously threatened.
"They didn't shoot the ball very well and that really helped us," Friel said. "But we kept playing hard. I was proud of them."
The difference of the game came at the foul line where Galena was 27-for-38 while Centennial was just 1-of-7. "We got to the basket and just really attacked them, got to the line," Friel said.
Friel said another key to the game was her team's rebounding. "They're one of the best offensive rebounding teams," she said. "Our kids did a pretty good job of boxing out."
Hayley Jensen scored 12 points, Langley Iverson had 10 points and Colleen Kern and Emily Burns each added nine points for Galena.