The outcome of Tuesday night’s girls basketball contest was never in doubt for Poolesville High School as it easily defeated host Rockville, 71-33.

So for senior guard Lindsay Poss and the rest of the Falcons, the contest was more about staying focused and running their offensive and defensive sets to perfection.

“We’ve had a pretty easy stretch the past three weeks and that has been good and bad,” she said. “We’ve won [six of the past seven] games, but it is also hard to play a stretch like this where you know going in you are a lot better than the other team. We just have to work to live up to our standards especially since Damascus is coming up [Jan. 20].”

Added coach Fred Swick: “In basketball, it is more about playing against yourself. If we take care of our business, like we did for most of tonight, and execute on both ends of the court like I know we can, we are a tough team.”

Poss, the only Falcon (7-4) in double figures, recorded a game-high 26 points, but nine of her teammates also contributed to the score sheet. Utilizing a full-court press, Poolesville also did not allow a field goal and forced at least 10 turnovers during the opening eight minutes of play.

“We’ve tried to press a lot this year and it was very effective,” Swick said. “Our half court defense could’ve been better since [Autumn Beynum] did a good job getting ball inside. We rebounded pretty well and got out on the break. Overall, it was a pretty good game for us.”

Rockville (1-8) briefly led 2-0 early in the first quarter following a pair of free throws by Beynum, a junior guard who scored a team-high 19 points, but after that it was all Falcons and they led 26-7 after a quarter of play.

Beynum hit a jumper 54 seconds into the second quarter for the Rams first points from the field. Rockville closed within 12, 27-15 midway through the period on a basket by Kelly McTighe, but would get no closer and Poolesville led 35-18 at the half.

The third quarter saw more of the same as the Falcons increased their advantage to 52-26. In the fourth, Poolesville emptied its bench and Rockville did not convert a field goal until 75 seconds remained in the contest

“After a game like this we’ll take 24 hours before we say anything to the girls,” first-year coach Andy Eisenberg said. “We will get back to it and talk about it at practice. We will go over ball handling, passing decisions and shot selection because when you go entire quarters without hitting a shot from the field and turn the ball over 30 times, you are never going to win. … Hopefully we will see some progress.”

kzakour@gazette.net

Poolesville 71, Rockville 33

Poolesville (7-4) 26 9 17 19 -- 71

Rockville (1-8) 7 11 8 7 33

Poolesville: Poss 26, Bodmer 6, Carnahan 4, Hughes 8, Baker 9, Barry 7, Maloney 2, Fields 2, Beaton 4, Carmack 3

Rockville: Beynum 19, Frager 3, Anderson 2, Ke. McTighe 8, Ka. McTighe 1