STAFF PHOTO BY STEPHANIE KENIGSBERG Hot competition Brundrett Middle School eighth grader Devan Murray, left, grapples for the ball with Falls City players on Monday, Dec. 7. The Brundrett Middle School Lady Marlins split a pair of games in Falls City on Monday, Dec. 7, with the seventh-grade girls winning and the eighth-graders dropping a game.

Seventh-graders poured it on during the first half, vaulting to a 16-4 lead over the Falls City junior high girls. Things were more even during the second half, but the Lady Marlins still walked away with a 25-14 win.

Madison Ray was the big scorer for Port Aransas and the only one in double digits, hitting for 11 points. Summer Hernandez put in 8, Carlie Munoz hit 5 and Emily Roberson dropped in 1 point. Score by halves

The eighth-graders fell behind during the first quarter and never quite managed to make up the deficit, although they were within three points at the end of the third period. The Falls City girls outscored the Lady Marlins in the final period, however, ending with a 27-21 win.

Savannah Ortiz hit for 12 points for the Lady Marlins. Devon Murray put in 5 and Vivian Frank and Morgan Milligan dropped in 2 points apiece. Score by quarters

Coach Javier Mendoza said both seventh- and eighth-graders are showing improvement as the season goes on.

“We have been trying to learn rotations for certain situations, and (at Falls City) the teams showed that they are getting parts of it,” Mendoza said. “Offensively, the girls took more outside shots -- something that we had been asking them to do.”

The Brundrett Middle School teams will host Woodsboro on Monday, Dec. 14, with both girls’ teams scheduled to play but only one boys’ team taking the court. Mendoza said no decision has been made yet which boys’ team will play.

Games begin at 4 p.m.