Mount Si’s girls basketball team relied on strong defense and solid rebounding to score a key league win last Wednesday, Jan. 13.

The Wildcats also used the shooting touch of senior Karly Thompson, whose 15 points helped Mount Si take the 63-39 victory over the Interlake Saints. Molly Sellers added 14 to pace the Wildcats, while Stevie Riley chipped in 11.

“We were able to get around the screens in that first quarter especially,” said a pleased Mount Si coach Megan Botulinski. “Having that confidence in the first quarter, being able to defend everybody, really helped us.

On top of the 15 points, Thompson also added seven rebounds and five assists.

“Karly had probably her best game of her entire career,” the coach said.

“We came out and we played four quarters — which we’ve struggled with in the past,” Nelson said. “We were all intense and we played like a team.”

The Wildcats broke out to an early lead on a Thompson three to open the contest and never looked back, as the defense shut down the Saints’ top two scorers. Senior Sarah Anderegg did score a gamehigh 19 to lead Interlake, but only six of those points came on actual baskets; the rest of them were on free throws.

Botulinski praised Nelson’s work against Anderegg.

“I had a hard time trying to figure out who I wanted to guard (Anderegg). Traci stepped up and I thought did a fabulous job on her,” the coach said. Nelson had six rebounds and three blocked shots in addition to her six points.

Anderegg’s fellow Interlake senior, Litia Nguamao, who also has been a force on the Saints this season, was limited by the Wildcat defense to just five second-quarter points. Much of that is credited to the defensive effort of a number of Mount Si defenders, specifically post players Nelson and Sarah McDonald, both of whom held their own against Interlake’s best the entire game.

Margo Parker scored 11 to pace the Saints in defeat.

Thompson thinks this win could be important down the road.

“This is going to jumpstart (us) a lot, so expect a lot of wins,” she said.

Mount Si traveled to Bellevue on Friday, Jan. 15, and fell to the Wolverines, 49-29. The loss dropped the Wildcats to 6-7 on the season, 2-3 in league play. The Wildcats host Liberty Friday at 6:30 p.m.