The Valley City Hi-Liners used two dominant quarters to secure their fourth consecutive victory, defeating the Central Cass Squirrels 61-46 on Friday.

The Hi-Liners set the tone early, jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the first quarter. Freshman Skye Nielson sparked the offense with an opening three-pointer, while Dacota Potratz provided additional scoring. Valley City’s defense was equally impressive, stifling the Squirrels’ rhythm and ending the quarter with a commanding 15-4 lead.

Central Cass found its footing in the second quarter, thanks to senior Avah Cotton, who scored 10 points in the frame. The Hi-Liners kept pace, maintaining a 30-16 advantage late in the quarter. However, a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Squirrels junior Addison Hushka trimmed the deficit to 30-19 at halftime, giving Central Cass some momentum.

Valley City came out strong in the third quarter, with Katie Burchill finding her stride alongside consistent contributions from Nielson and Potratz. The Hi-Liners’ balanced attack and resurgent defense extended their lead to 51-30, as the Squirrels’ offense faltered outside of Cotton’s efforts.

Central Cass mounted a late comeback, fueled by turnovers and efficient free-throw shooting, cutting the lead to 11 with just over three minutes remaining. However, a timely timeout by Valley City head coach Jimmy Howard helped the Hi-Liners regroup. The trio of Nielson, Potratz, and Burchill sealed the victory, outscoring the Squirrels 8-4 down the stretch.

Nielson led all Hi-Liners in scoring with 24 points, while Potratz and Burchill also finished in double figures.

The Hi-Liners (4-0) return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 14, against Kindred at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on 1490 AM/96.3 FM KOVC and streamed online at NewsDakota.com.