On Thursday, the Coyotes entered their matchup against the Heritage Hawks still feeling the sting of their recent loss to the Summit Sharks. After losing on a buzzer-beater, team morale was shaken. The question was whether Day Creek could bounce back.

“I think that it is going to be really tough, and we need to stay together and work hard if we want to win,” said sixth grader Chandler B., predicting a challenging game.

The last time Day Creek faced Heritage was in the 2024 championship, where they fell 43 to 24. The Coyotes were determined to redeem themselves. “We got to get them back,” Chandler said. “It is going to be a tough one because Heritage is the best in the league. We are winning for sure.”

The game opened with Heritage winning the tip-off and scoring the first point on a free throw. Day Creek responded with strong defense in the first quarter, boxing out and forcing several airballs. The quarter ended with Heritage ahead 9 to 7.

Although the Coyotes stayed composed on offense, their defense began to slip. Missed box-outs and lost rebounds allowed the Hawks to earn multiple second-chance points.

“We could improve in rebounding, boxing out, and making tough decisions,” said eighth grader Gavin M.

At halftime, Heritage led 20 to 15. Day Creek kept the score close, but the Hawks continued to score and widen the gap.

The Coyotes attempted to limit the Hawks by going for blocks, but many of those attempts resulted in fouls and free throws for Heritage. By the end of the third quarter, the score was 27 to 22, still a close five-point difference.

With three minutes left, Jacob W. scored a layup to bring the score to 33 to 32, with Heritage holding a one-point lead. A clutch layup from Gavin M. then pushed Day Creek ahead 34 to 33 and briefly quieted the Heritage crowd.

Aiden C., a seventh grader on the team, said, “I thought the last plays were a little sloppy. We could have been better. We can always improve.”

Heritage answered quickly with a deep three-pointer, shifting the momentum and taking back the lead at 36 to 34. From that point on, the Hawks maintained control. When the final buzzer sounded, Heritage had won 42 to 36.

The crowd erupted, the Hawks’ student section shook the gym, and Day Creek left with its second loss of the season.