LAYUP — Edison’s Abby Carpenter puts up a layup past Harrison Central’s Ella Smith during Thursday’s game. - Andrew Grimm

They added to the memorable start, the program’s best in more than two decades, Thursday night with an impressive win over rival Harrison Central on senior night, 74-44, improving to 15-0 in the process.

“It’s been a fun year,” Edison head coach Mark Smyth said. “It’s been a special year. Our biggest game is the next one, that’s the mentality. We have to keep building and keep it rolling. Our kids are excited, I’m really proud of them.

“Our biggest games are still ahead.”

Sophia Henderson, one of two Edison seniors and the lone one in the line up Thursday, tied for the team high with 11 points in the win. She and classmate Ava Cline, who is injured, were honored prior to the game.

Edison’s Kayla Koehnlein looks to work to the basket against Harrison Central’s Ella Smith. - Andrew Grimm

“I’m really proud of our two seniors, they’ve been with me my whole career here,” Smyth said. “They were with us going back to seventh grade. Sophia is a four-year starter, a 1,000-pointer scorer and has had a historic career for us. It’s awesome to get her a win on senior night.

“Ava started the first game as a freshman, too, and has worked her butt off for me since seventh grade. She’s had to deal with a lot of injuries, but she’s a special kid to us and to the program.

“The two of them are the foundation pieces that started our rebuild as a program. Winning on their senior night is special.”

Playing a Huskies (7-10) team that they battled four times a season ago — falling twice in the regular season and once in the OVAC tournament before defeating them in the sectional tournament — the Wildcats’ victory gives them a sweep of the regular season meetings this year.

“Harrison is a good team, coach (Chace) Smith does a great job,” Smyth said. “They’re well-coached … I think he’s one of the best coaches in the Valley and they have a special program, so anytime we beat them we’re really proud of that win.”

Edison’s Mimi Ault puts up a shot against defense from Smith. - Andrew Grimm

Edison got off to a fast start opening a 19-8 lead after one quarter and led 37-13 at halftime. The Cats knocked down three of their nine 3-pointers for a 9-0 run to start the second half to leave little doubt about the outcome.

“They’re having a banner season, they’re 15-0 for a reason,” Harrison Central head coach Chace Smith said. “We probably know each other’s teams better than anyone in the Valley, we knew what they wanted to do, we prepared for it, and we still couldn’t stop it. They had a couple stretches where all we could do as a coaching staff was shake our heads and shrug because (Abby Carpenter) hit two 3s from 35 feet, (Abby) Boka hit one with a hand in her face, Henderson hit a long one … there’s not much you can do to stop them. And on top of all of that they play so hard, they make it tough. Playing in the smaller gym they trapped and made everything tighter.

“We ran into a buzzsaw.”

The Huskies continued to play hard despite the score, scoring as many points in the third — and more in the fourth — than they had in the entire first half, but the hole against a really good team was too steep to escape.

“My girls don’t give up,” Smith said. “We’ve had a tough stretch, we have injuries … they don’t make excuses they just keep showing up and playing hard until the last whistle regardless of the score. I’m proud of them for that. We’re going to keep on grinding away.

“I’m not into moral victories, you look up at the scoreboard and we lost by 30, but we did keep playing hard in the second half, and I am happy with that and how we responded after a tough first half and how we keep responding.”

In addition to Henderson’s 11, Aliya Glover tallied a like number, while Addison Casto, Lacie Pelley and Kayla Koehnlein each netted 10 to put five Wildcats in double figures. All told, 11 different players scored for Edison.

For the Huskies, Kara Blackburn and Mikayla Pelegreen each netted eight points, while Emily Cope had seven.

UP NEXT

Harrison Central: Is slated to host Sandy Valley Monday, weather permitting.

Edison: Is scheduled to take a trip to Oak Glen on Saturday, weather permitting.

Edison 74, Harrison Central 44

HC 8-5-13-16 — 44

E 19-18-16-21 — 74

HARRISON CENTRAL (7-10): Blackburn 3 0-2 8; Pelegreen 3 2-2 8; Cope 3 0-0 7; E. Smith 2 0-0 4; Nameth 1 3-6 5; Whipkey 0 2-2 2; B. Smith 2 0-0 6; Still 1 0-0 2; Visswer 0 0-0 0; Robinson 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 16, 7-12; 44.

EDISON (15-0): Boka 2 1-2 7; Pelley 3- 2-3 10; Carpenter 2 0-0 5; Henderson 4 2-2 11; A. Casto 2 5-7 10; Koehnlein 5 0-0 10; Glover 5 1-4 11; Cronin 2 0-0 4; Aguileria 2 0-0 4; Ault 1 0-0 2; Rawson 0 0-0 0; King 0 0-0 0; G. Casto 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 28, 11-18; 74.

3-POINTERS: Harrison Central 5 (B. Smith 2, Blackburn 2, Cope); Edison 9 (Pelley 2, Boka 2, Cronin 2, Henderson, Carpenter, A. Casto).