FELCH — Trying to stop fifth-ranked North Dickinson was a difficult task for the Bark River-Harris girls here Thursday night as they dropped a 71-53 basketball decision to the Nordics.

BR-H was within 41-40 midway through the third quarter, but was unable to gain the upper hand in this Skyline Central Conference match-up.

“They’re definitely one of the better teams we faced all year,” said BR-H coach Matt Richer.

“They just keep coming at you. I think we played well at times, but we couldn’t come up with a defense that worked.”

Grace Peterson scored a career-high 22 points, including 16 in the first half, for the Broncos (7-7 overall, 6-4 SCC). Allison Richer added a career-best 15 and Cara Zawacki had 12.

Ashton Hord led the league-leading Nordics (13-2 overall, 11-0 SCC) with 20 points. Skye Ledzian hit 17 and Briana Smith collected 15.

“We expected Smith and Hord to score, but some of their other girls hurt us,” said coach Richer. “We had a run going in the third quarter, then Cary got a couple threes. Every time we would go on a run, they would come up with an answer. Grace kind of carried us in the first half.”

BR-H, which won the JV game, visits Stephenson Monday. The Nordics travel to Munising Thursday.

BR-Harris 13 16 15 9 — 53

N. Dickinson 21 15 16 19 — 71

Bark River-Harris — Debelak 3, Zawacki 12, Richer 15, Cappaert 2, Peterson 22. FT: 9-14; F: 14; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Richer 3, Peterson.

North Dickinson — Smith 15, Cary 10, Inglese 2, Hord 20, Lindholm 3, Clark 6, Ledzian 17. FT: 10-17; F: 11; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Cary 3, Hord 3, Clark.