Arlington took advantage of 37 Oak Harbor turnovers to defeat the host Wildcats 51-15 in the season opener for girls basketball Thursday, Dec. 1.

Oak Harbor will try to bounce back at home against Squalicum (0-2) Monday, Dec.5, at 7:30 p.m. The Storm lost to Mount Baker 64-27 Thursday.

Both Arlington and Oak Harbor struggled taking care of the basketball during a sloppy first quarter when the teams combined for over 20 turnovers, 13 by the Wildcats.

The Eagles, unlike Oak Harbor, took advantage of their extra scoring opportunities to jump to a 14-0 lead.

Oak Harbor didn’t score until Annie Leete hit a jumper with 1:14 left in the period.

Arlington raised its first-quarter 17-2 lead to 21-2 before Leete fired in a long three.

The Eagles ended the half with a 26-9 cushion.

A Leete bucket was all Oak Harbor could muster in the third period, and the Wildcats trailed 45-11 after three quarters.

Oak Harbor coach Trisha Clayville said her club had “big-time jitters” entering the game. She said after things settled down there were “flashes of good things.”

She liked how her team rotated better and faster in its zone, and how it attacked the hoop in the fourth quarter.

“It’s a starting point,” she said.

Leete finished with seven points to lead Oak Harbor. Dominique Jackson added three, Lia Pantoleon and Ciera Wiser two each and Tatiana Cumming one.

Arlington hit eight three-pointers, four by Megan Abdo, who finished with 13 points. Lindsay Brown also scored 13, and Jensen Evans had 10.