Stumbling at the start

A slow start led to a loss in the opening game of 2025 for the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn girls' basketball team. The 62-51 loss to Unity Christian on Jan. 2 at Orange City ended the Hawks' four-game winning streak.

H-M-S fell behind 15-2 to open the game and trailed 25-11 at the end of the first quarter. The Hawks stepped up their offensive production in the second quarter to score 20 points, but could only narrow the deficit to seven and trailed 40-31 at half time.

Two baskets early in the second half pulled H-M-S to within six, but Unity Christian's 13-2 run pushed the lead up to 15 points. The...