SPEARFISH, S.D. — The Spearfish Spartans girls basketball team saw a strong first half slip away Friday night as the Rapid City Christian Comets used a dominant second half to secure a 54–38 victory. With the loss, Spearfish falls to 10–6 on the season, while Rapid City Christian improves to 16–3.
Spearfish came out sharp early, building a 16–11 lead after the first quarter behind aggressive defense and efficient scoring. Senior guard Kate Scharf paced the Spartans throughout the night, finishing with a game-high 20 points and providing the offensive spark that kept Spearfish in front during the opening half.
Rapid City Christian responded in the second quarter, tightening the game and trimming the deficit. Despite the Comets’ push, the Spartans held a narrow 26–24 advantage heading into halftime.
The momentum shifted decisively after the break. Spearfish struggled to find its rhythm offensively in the second half, while Rapid City Christian capitalized on scoring opportunities and defensive stops. By the end of the third quarter, the Comets had surged ahead 42–33 and maintained control down the stretch.
Senior post Tiersyn Grubb added five points for the Spartans, while Megan Markovetz and Finley Bouman each chipped in three. However, Spearfish was unable to generate enough offense late to counter the Comets’ balanced attack.
Rapid City Christian was led by Sadie Marshall with 18 points, followed by Nora Keiffer with 10. Nia Selfridge contributed eight points, and Brynn Casey added seven as the Comets pulled away in the final period to seal the win.
Spearfish will look to regroup as the postseason approaches, while Rapid City Christian continues to build momentum with its 16th win of the season.