WARDSVILLE - Maggie Dorge may not lead the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons in scoring, but she was the spark they needed Thursday night.
Up 25-21 entering the second half against Centralia, Dorge keyed a 10-0 run on a short jumper and then capped it off by converting a three-point play that helped the Lady Falcons break the game open before rolling to a 53-35 win.
"Maggie really did a nice job," Blair Oaks coach Leroy Bernskoetter said. "She completed the three-point play and that just carries the momentum over.
"She was a big key for us in the second half."
Dorge dropped in five of her seven points in the third quarter and did enough on defense to help the Lady Falcons hold Centralia to only four points, as Blair Oaks built a 43-25 lead after three quarters.
Blair Oaks (5-4) opened the game with the same intensity it displayed in the third quarter, jumping out to a 19-12 lead. The Lady Falcons also scored 25 points in the first quarter of Monday night's 53-29 win over North Callaway.
"We've come out with good intensity," Bernskoetter said. "They've gotten themselves into a good flow and a lot of it is on the defensive end.
"We scored a lot on fast breaks and they stepped up."
Jessica Fennewald dropped in six of her 10 points in the opening period.
"Jessica came in and made some good little shots," Bernskoetter said.
LeeAnn Polowy also scored six points in the first and finished the game with 11.
But Centralia (3-5) cut the lead to four points at the half by outscoring Blair Oaks 9-6 in the second quarter.
"Centralia stepped up," Bernskoetter said. "They're a good ball club.
"We started becoming individuals again. One person was trying to take them all on, while the other ones watched. That got us out of sync."
The Lady Falcons got back in sync when Dorge sparked the 10-0 run to give Blair Oaks a 35-21 lead with 3:40 left in the third quarter.
"That was the turning point right there," Bernskoetter said.
Blair Oaks also got some key points from its bench. Sophomore forward Darian Werdenhausen came off the bench and scored a game-high 12 points.
"She has a nose for the ball," Bernskoetter said.
Sara Jones hit a pair of 3s and went 3-for-4 from the free-throw line for her nine points.
For the Lady Falcons to be successful in the second half of the season, they'll need that type of performance from their bench players night in and night out.
"It's good to see some of these younger girls coming off the bench and helping us," Bernskoetter said. "It's a big lift when you get someone that comes off the bench and gets in double figures."
Blair Oaks opens the Fatima Blue and Gold Tournament at 5:30 p.m. Monday against St. Elizabeth.
In the JV game, the Lady Falcons improved to 8-0 with a 31-13 win. Werdenhausen led the team with eight points.