Kingsford varsity cager Elaina Bortolini (30) goes up for a shot and is fouled on by Westwood defenders Isabelle Marta (3) and Nolia Dawson (2) during the Flivvers’ home win on Friday night. (Terry Raiche photo)

KINGSFORD — Junior Mia Counter scored two hoops in the final minutes to help Kingsford edge Westwood 42-38 on Friday in a nonconference girls varsity basketball game at Kingsford High School.

Down 33-29 entering the fourth quarter, the Flivvers (2-0) outscored the Patriots 13-5 in the final period to win their home opener.

“I’m very, very happy with this win,” Kingsford coach Jon Lorenzoni said. “We set a goal to protect our home court this year and we did just that tonight.”

Senior Eliana Bortolini topped Kingsford with 14 points. Alaina Kowalski added eight, while Counter and Laura Bracket scored six each.

Sophomore Lexi Olson and junior Megan Marta led Westwood (1-1) with 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Kingsford’s Mia Counter (12) drives in the lane for the go-ahead basket in Friday’s nonconference clash, as Westwood’s Hannah Niemi (24) tries for the block. (Terry Raiche photo)

“Just a real scrappy team effort tonight,” Lorenzoni said. “I thought we battled for everything, and the only time we maybe didn’t was end-of-quarter fatigue.”

Next up for the Flivvers is a nonconference matchup with Bark River-Harris (1-1) on Monday in Harris.

BRONCOS 55, LADY TROJANS 36

CRYSTAL FALLS — The youthful Forest Park Lady Trojans committed 30 turnovers in the face of the Bark River-Harris pressure defense and dropped a 55-36 Skyline Central Conference decision Friday at Eddie Chambers Gymnasium.

“We had some struggles handling Bark River’s pressure,” FP coach Kim Bjork said. “We had one good run that got us in the game, but ultimately we turned it over too much.”

Niagara varsity hoopster Morgan Borchardt (13) goes up and over Coleman’s Maddie Hinther (22) for a shot in Friday’s home loss to the Cougars. Borchardt scored nine points on the night. (Dennis Mansfield/Daily News photo)

Forest Park, which has three freshmen and a sophomore in its top rotation, trailed by only three points after the first quarter and 10 at halftime. But the Broncos (1-1) pushed the game out of reach with a 17-2 third quarter to go up 47-22 heading into the fourth.

Sophomore Lilly Post and freshman Ava Fischer paced FP with eight points each. Jessie Loehr and Elsie Williams, both freshmen, added six points each and junior Lauren Kudwa contributed five.

“There are going to be some learning moments for us this season, but the pieces are going to fall into place and our execution will get better,” Bjork said.

COUGARS 45, BADGERS 34

NIAGARA, Wis. — Missed free throws might have been the deciding factor in Niagara’s 45-34 loss to the visiting Coleman Cougars in a battle of the two Marinette & Oconto Conference rivals Friday night.

Niagara’s Samantha Oratch (20) finds herself surrounded by Coleman defenders Alyssa Hoida (14) and Aubrey Bintz (2) as she battles to maintain control of the ball during the Badgers’ clash with their Marinette & Oconto Conference rival Friday night at Niagara High School. (Dennis Mansfield/Daily News photo)

Each team hit nine two-point baskets, with Coleman (3-1) knocking down two more 3-pointers, 5-3, than the host Badgers (2-2).

But, the difference-maker in the game might have been the free-throw line, where the Cougars converted 12 of 27 attempts — just 44%. The Badgers couldn’t take advantage of Coleman’s struggles at the line, however, as Niagara knocked down only 7 of 20 (35%).

The Badgers also struggled to recover after falling behind 24-14 at halftime. The two teams played to a near draw in the second half, with Coleman outscoring Niagara by just one point, 21-20.

Josie Rock led Niagara with 13 points, with Morgan Borchardt adding nine points and Abby Wells five points. Samantha Oratch and Erin Lukowicz completed Niagara’s scoring with four and three points, respectively.