CEDARBURG, Wis. — The Escanaba Eskymos girls basketball team (1-4) earned their first win of the season over the weekend as they split a pair of road games Friday and Saturday in Cedarburg, Wis.

Friday night, Escanaba defeated the Plymouth Panthers 56-51 in overtime, earning their first win of the 2021-22 season. Saturday, they sustained an 82-41 loss against the Bulldogs of Cedarburg.

Kiera Maki had a great showing on the weekend for the Mos with a combined 47 points (a career-high 28 Friday and 19 Saturday)

“We played really well, and we won in overtime,” said Escanaba coach Mike Beveridge of the Friday win. “Kiera Maki played her best game of the season so far.

“She’s a sophomore, and she just started playing varsity this year… She’s got lots of potential, and she’s working hard and playing really hard right now. So, she’s going to be an up and comer.”

Mari Bink put in a double-digit scoring effort as well for the Eskymos on Friday night with 12.

Beveridge added the overtime win was a well-earned victory for Escanaba.

“It was a real tough game,” he said. “We were up. They were up. It was back and forth, and through the second half, my girls really stuck in there and played well. When they were down, they never quit. It was really a good win for our team because it was the first of the year. So, that was a real positive for a real tough schedule and weekend for our girls. It’s staying in a hotel then playing (Saturday) at five o’clock again. It’s a rough little tournament we got into.”

Saturday did not bring as good of fortune for Escanaba, however, with their 82-41 loss against Cedarburg.

“(Cedarburg) shot lights out,” Beveridge said. “They were an excellent shooting team and a very aggressive defensive team. Not as an excuse, but my girls were tired. It was a long Saturday for us. We had like four or five hours to kill in the afternoon. It was tough, so our girls came out a little tired, but they worked hard, tried hard. And, it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Bink followed Maki in scoring again Saturday with 8 points, while Saylor Henderson had seven to match her contributions from Friday’s contest.

Up next for Escanaba is a home court battle against rival Gladstone on Dec. 28.

“We had a tough five-game start. We played Marquette, the Sault, Negaunee and then we went into this tournament,” Beveridge said. “We’re kind of looking forward to getting back into the U.P. and getting into our schedule. I think it’s going to be a fun day with Gladstone. The girls are looking forward to playing the rivalry, and it’s always a good game.”

Escanaba 20 21 — 41

Cedarburg 47 35 — 82

Escanaba — Maki 19, Bink 8, Henderson 7, Carter 3, Dutton 2; FT: 9-14; Fouled out: Carter; 3-point field goals: Henderson, Bink.

Escanaba 23 33 — 56*

Plymouth 23 28 — 51*

Escanaba — Maki 28, Bink 12, Henderson 7, Barron 4, Monkevich 2, Dutton 2, Carter 1; FT: 18-27; Fouled out: Bink, Carter; 3-point field goals: Maki, Henderson.

*Second half and overtime scores are combined as one total.