Echo Cenci shields the ball against a Mary M. Knight player.

NASELLE — Twenty-five steals fueled Naselle’s 56-14 victory over Mary M. Knight Saturday, Jan. 18. After the Lady Owls scored first on a Jaylin Davis bank shot, the Lady Comets took complete control with a 33-0 run that spanned most of the first half.

Jackie Steenerson dominated in the interior in the early minutes, making three baskets to boost Naselle to an 8-2 lead.

Echo Cenci teamed with Peyton Dalton to apply full-court defensive pressure that broke the Lady Owl offense and turned the game into a rout. Cenci used her track-star speed to cover the vast regions of the court faster than the visitors could react, pressuring the in-bounder and then sprinting back to create further havoc elsewhere.

Naselle led 23-2 after a quarter and 33-4 at halftime. Cenci would finish with four steals but created countless others, most of them early on.

Naselle got everyone involved, getting points from nine players. Grace Hunt made it 47-7 with a three-point play late in the third. Amera Larson hit a tough shot in the fourth quarter, flipping the ball over her shoulder while being fouled after an offensive rebound.

Kaylin Shrives led Naselle with 12 points and added four steals, Steenerson had 11 rebounds, three steals and eight points, and Peyton Dalton had five assists and four steals. Cenci had four assists to go with her four steals.

Naselle improved to 5-7, while the Owls fell to 1-8. Naselle will visit Lake Quinault Thursday, Jan. 23.