To be fair, the senior Boal scored 5 points in the first quarter, but she added 8 points in Franklin’s 15-2 second quarter. She finished with 12 field goals and 25 points.

“I knew it was going to be a tough game, especially with their best player being a 6-3 center averaging about 22 (points per) game,” said Warren coach Jenny Phillips. “We certainly weren’t going to shut her down, but if we could apply pressure on their guards and contain their long-range shots, we would have a close game. We executed well on both ends of the floor during the first quarter and a half, but got down going into halftime when their guards started making shots from the three.”

Warren senior Alyssa Farr had 8 of Warren’s 14 first-quarter points, including two 3-pointers. Teammate Tori Solberg had the Dragons’ only bucket in the second quarter; Warren trailed by 12 at halftime. Franklin (8-5 overall and winners of four straight) got two 3-pointers each in the first half from Jadyn Blum and Hailey Hanna.

“We were very worried about their center getting the ball in the paint,” said Phillips, “and had some mishaps rotating on defense, which cost us when their guards were hitting all their shots.”

Warren’s Alana Stuart attempts to shoot over Franklin’s Katie Boal (4) on Monday in the Dragons’ 52-36 loss to Franklin at Warren Area High School. Photo by Mark Evans

Alana Stuart finished with 14 points for Warren (6-8) – 12 in the second half. Farr and Peyton Wotorson ended with 10 points each, and Solberg had Warren’s only other basket.

Blum added 12 on four 3-pointers for Franklin.

“Tori did a nice job trying to contain (Boal),” said Phillips. “We knew she would get her points, so our gameplan had to include pressuring their guards.”

FRANKLIN (52)

Boal 12 1 25, Stevens 1 0 3, Blum 4 0 12, Hanna 3 1 9, Curry 1 0 2, Shingledecker 0 1 1. Totals 21 3 52.

WARREN (36)

Farr 4 0 10, Stuart 6 0 14, Solberg 1 0 2, Wotorson 4 2 10, E.Roell 0, Rodgers 0, Davidson 0, Hagg 0. Totals 15 2 36.

3-pointers: Stevens, Blum 4, Hanna 2, Farr 2, Stuart 2.

Franklin 13 15 14 10 — 52

Warren 14 2 7 13 — 36