The Wampus Cats (0-1) had a slow start to Thursday night's game against the Miners (5-5) and clawed back to make it a contest. But, in the end, Clark Fork lost a hard-fought battle to Wallace 54-32.

“We came out a little slow and didn’t shoot well in the first quarter,” head coach Jordan Adams said.

Lilly Reuter scored 12 for Clark Fork and Britany Phillips dropped 24 for Wallace.

“We only have a few seasoned athletes,” Adams said.

The Wampus Cats, part of the 1A North Star League, have looked to Reuter and Eloise Shelton for leadership on and off the court throughout the season.

“They’ve been holding everything together on the floor and rarely get a break,” Adams said.

After trailing the 1A Scenic Idaho League team 35-11 in the second half, Clark Fork started clawing their way back. They outscored Wallace in the third quarter 10-6 and held the Miners to 13 points in the fourth quarter.

“We got the opportunity to play some of our younger athletes,” Adams said. “I was very pleased with what our up-and-coming athletes did.”

The Wampus Cats travel to Sandpoint on Wednesday to play the Bulldogs at 7 p.m.

Clark Fork 7 4 10 11 – 32

Wallace 11 24 6 13 – 54

CLARK FORK — Shelton 4, Reuter 12, Printz-Hay 5, Herrick 0, Matteson 2, Scarlett 0, Thompson 7, Weymouth 0, Leadbetter 0, Myers 2, Berscheid 0.

WALLACE — Birdsell 2, Berry 2, Lewis 4, K. Phillips 10, Johnson 0, Br. Phillips 24, Hasz 2, Hull 0, Be. Phillips 6, Hendrick 4.