AMERICAN FALLS — The No. 1 Marsh Valley girls do it so often that it only makes sense to trademark it.

    It being a quick, decisive, back-breaking run that takes a close game and turns it upside down before their opponent even knows what happens.

    Marsh Valley used a 13-0 run in the second quarter to open up a double-digit lead and pull away from the American Falls Beavers 61-41 Thursday night in American Falls.

    “That’s what these girls do,” said Eagles head coach Kyle McQuivey. “They work hard, they play hard and for some reason it just clicks. The light switch goes on and they get up on people.”    

    After a tight first quarter, it was 13-11 with 5:53 left in the second. But over the next three minutes, Marsh Valley scored 13 straight. Just like that it was 26-11 and the Eagles were firmly in control.

    The run was a byproduct of Marsh Valley’s signature pressure and full-court press that forced eight American Falls’ turnovers in the second.

    “When we know it’s close, we just have to run and gun,” said Marsh Valley senior Kami Hansen.

    Hansen finished off that signature run with a 3-pointer that served as the exclamation mark, part of her game-high 22 points.

    “I just let (the game) come to me,” Hansen said. “I don’t try to force anything.”

    Hansen was the leading scorer but she was part of a balanced Marsh Valley scoring attack where eight Eagles scored. Sophomore Faith Lolofie came off the bench and chipped in 12.

    After the big second quarter run, the Eagles entered half up 28-17.

    In the final 16 minutes, American Falls could never mount a run and draw any closer than the initial 11-point margin.

    “I feel like we had to take advantage of our opportunities,” said Beavers head coach Tyler Shafer. “We played with them a while. We had some free throws that didn’t go for us. We learned that we have a little ways to go. I feel like we’re learning how to compete against teams that good.”

    American Falls (4-7 overall, 0-1 in the 3A Fifth District) had ended 2012 on a three-game winning streak, but the Beavers have now dropped two straight in 2013.

    “We’re showing some rust out of the New Year a little bit,” Shafer said. “We had been playing better ball. We have to come in strong and better prepared to face that intensity that teams a little better bring.”

    Junior point guard Maria Sanchez was American Falls’ leading scorer with 14.

    The Beavers travel to Bear Lake Wednesday and Marsh Valley (10-3, 1-0) hosts South Fremont Saturday in Arimo.

Marsh Valley 61, American Falls 41

Marsh Valley    13    15    15    18 — 61

American Falls    8    9    11    13 — 41

Marsh Valley — Dassia May 6, Kami Hansen 22, Amanda Marshall 7, Sara McNabb 6, Faith Lolofie 12, Jessica Dunn 2, Jacinta May 2, Nika Criddle 2; American Falls — Maria Sanchez 14, Charidee Permann 5, Faby Villa 5, Lindsey Woodworth 9, Hunter Morris 1, Alyx Morris 5, Sammy Neaman 2.