MARYSVILLE — The Marysville Getchell Chargers scored a comeback win over the Oak Harbor Wildcats, sealing their first league win on Jan. 8.

MG was trailing the Wildcats until the second quarter, beating Oak Harbor 51-40.

Pace and leadership were key for the Chargers’ victory.

“It was the composure of five girls who decided they were going to make a difference and take over the game,” MG Head Coach Shannon Grandbois said. “It’s not any one person. All of them played really well.”

Things started out less then ideal for MG in the first quarter.

“For a lot of these teams, it’s confidence,” Grandbois said about the Wildcats’ performance. “A lot of these teams have the confidence in beating our team, especially in the league.”

In the first quarter, the Chargers had trouble hitting shots. The Wildcats, who wanted their first win, had no scoring first.

“The last time we’ve played them last season, we only lost by a couple of points,” Grandbois said. “I know that they’re struggling for a win, and we were struggling for a win. We really prepared well for this game.”

The Chargers finally found their shots when sophomore point guard Jada Romulus landed a three, bringing the score to 4-3.

MG showed it was not afraid to shoot, but was unable to convert its shots. The first quarter was back and forth in scoring, but Oak Harbor’s more accurate shooting gave the Chargers trouble. After MG held a brief lead, the Wildcats answered with another three, leading the Chargers 9-8. The Wildcats led at the end of the first quarter, 14-13.

In the second quarter, it was again neck and neck with scoring. The Wildcats’ perimeter shooting again proved troublesome for MG. Eventually, the Wildcats broke away with a 25-20 lead.

The Chargers changed their pace to adjust against the Wildcats’ lead. MG was able to find its shots and stage a comeback.

After some scoring on both sides, Romulus was able to land a game-tying three, which tied the score at 30-30.

Romulus slowed her game down to find her shots.

“When I slowed down, I shot the ball and I got better,” Romulus said. “I got better shot selection, and it was easier to score.”

Junior forward Marina Wika got to the free-throw line, sinking both of her shots. MG led at halftime, with the score at 32-30.

After halftime, the Chargers were able to extend their lead, scoring 10 more points then the Wildcats.

“We slowed it down and took care of fundamentals,” Romulus said. “We’re not used to playing speedy, fast rat-ball.”

The third quarter ended with the Chargers leading 48-38.

The Chargers took it slow in the final quarter and were able to execute on defense, holding the Wildcats to two points.

It was halfway through the quarter when scoring resumed when Romulus made one of her free throws. The Chargers added three more points after that, sealing their victory.

Grandbois said that changing the overall tempo of the team was crucial for the Chargers’ comeback. “We are a more structured-type team,” Grandbois said. “When we get into the run-and-gun game, that’s not our game.”

Grandbois hopes the Chargers will get more wins throughout the season and individual success for the players. “I will take all the wins I can get. I just want them to seize success, and I think we’re getting there,” she said. “They can see that when they rely on each other and play as a team, they can do good things.”

As of Jan. 9, MG’s current league record is 1-3 with an overall record of 4-7.