Bark River-Harris senior Hope Varoni (3) boxes out Escanaba junior Lily VanDamme during a game on Dec. 13, 2024 at Escanaba High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA — Grayson LaMarche is an athlete who is hard to slow down in any sports.

The Escanaba senior proved that she remains a problem on the hardwood, dropping a 20 point, 13 rebound double-double in a 45-29 win over Bark River-Harris on Friday.

“We’re a work in progress,” Hudson said. “I thought we were a little sharper offensively against (Sault Ste Marie), but our defense was better tonight.”

LaMarche registered the Eskymos (1-2) first eight points with six coming inside the paint. The 6-foot senior and University of Michigan accumulated eight more points in the second quarter for a 27-13 lead at the half.

And while Hudson admitted that the Bronco’s defense bogged down the orange and black in the second half, the first half breakout was enough for the win.

“Their zone slowed us down. I have to give them credit,” Hudson said. “I thought we were going to roll. I thought we were going to score 60-65 points. They slowed us down.”

BR-H’s quest for its first win of the season is still in tact, but it wasn’t from a lack of effort. Or a lack of scoring chances.

For the game’s first 10 minutes, every shot was met with the feeling of a lid being on the rim, and the lid was only unlocked at the free throw line.

Junior Melinah Cortez’s putback with 5:58 remaining in the second quarter was the Broncos’ first successful field goal of the contest. The basket cut Esky’s lead down to 21-7.

“We had some really good looks right off the bat, but they just weren’t falling,” Broncos coach Paige Welch said. “We do a decent amount of shooting in practice and our shots looked great all week. It just wasn’t falling for us.”

The Broncos were led offensively by senior Marissa Ives with 13 points

“She gave me everything she had,” Welch said of Ives. “She showed up, and I really needed her. I’m going to need her for the rest of the season too. I appreciate how hard she works.

The Broncos stay on the road to face Norway at 7 p.m. Monday. The Eskymos host Crystal Falls Forest Park at 7 p.m. Monday.

Box score

Escanaba 16 11 10 8 — 45

Bark River-Harris 5 8 6 10 — 29

Escanaba — Salo 7, Engebretson 3, LaMarche 20, Braun 1, Stalboerger 2, Lamb 4, Moberg 2, Beauchamp 2, Bray 4; FT: 12-22; Fouls: 20, Fouled out: none; 3-point baskets: Salo 1,

Bark River-Harris — Ives 13, Varoni 4, Zawada 5, Cortez 3, Nault 1, Lippens 1; FT: 9-21; Fouls: 20; Fouled out: none; 3-point baskets: Zawada 1, Nault 1