Editor’s Note: Look for complete game coverage in Sunday’s print edition.

It was a crushing defeat for the King’s Fork High School’s girls’ basketball team as they finished as the state runners-up in a 60-59 loss to Monacan High School on Friday night.

In the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs were down 18-9 after a strong quarter by Monacan. After being down in the second quarter, King’s Fork went on a 9-0 run, which allowed them to keep the game close going into halftime at 25-29.

Senior Cydney Nichols led the Bulldogs with 11 points at the half, including going 3-4 from the three-point line. Two of Nichols’ threes came at a crucial time in the last seconds before the half wound down. Camary Harris was second in line with only five points at the half. For Monacan, Megan Walker led with 14 points at the half.

In the third quarter, King’s Fork started the half off with a couple of turnovers before regrouping and taking the lead. Another big quarter by Nichols helped King’s Fork keep its first lead after the third quarter. The Lady Bulldogs used their defensive tenaciousness to help them carry their lead into the fourth quarter. The Lady Bulldogs led 43-32 after three-quarters of play.

To start off the fourth quarter, Monacan began to mount a comeback with a barrage of three-pointers. With 3:27 left to play in the fourth quarter, the Lady Bulldogs had a 50-44 lead. A play by Monacan’s Walker with 2:58 to play cut the Lady Bulldogs lead to only three. With 1:47 left to play in the fourth, Monacan took a one-point lead. Amesha Miller fouled out of the game.

Both teams continued to trade baskets in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 58 with 58 seconds to play. Harris was fouled and went 1-2 from the free throw line with 33.9 seconds to play giving the Lady Bulldogs a 59-58 lead. After Monacan’s inbound, Walker took the ball all the way down the floor for what was the game-winning basket for the Lady Chiefs. The Lady Bulldogs had a one more shot to take with one-third of a second left on the clock. The Lady Bulldogs inbounded the ball, but referees ruled what looked like a clear shot by Harris came after the buzzer.

King’s Fork finished a historic season as 4A state runner-up. Nichols finished with a team-high 28 points.