The fifth-ranked Auburn Riverside girls resumed the regular season Tuesday with a 78-36 victory over the Thomas Jefferson Raiders in South Puget Sound League North Division play.

The Ravens (5-1 league, 7-3 overall) held the Raiders (4-2, 7-2) to just 14 first-half points to take a 45-14 lead at the intermission. Jefferson entered the game against the defending Class 3A state champions with only one loss on the season to the No. 1-ranked Kentwood Conquerors.

But the Raiders just couldn’t get anything going against the ultra-talented Ravens Tuesday night in Auburn.

According to Auburn Riverside head coach Ed Rosin, the win, coming on the heels of the Ravens’ 1-2 performance at the Riverside Invitational tournament over the Christmas break, marks another step in the ongoing process of the team finding its identity.

“We are definitely making strides in that direction,” Rosin said. “We’re finding out, especially in our losses, that we need to play defense, full-court and half-court. I think they’re starting to believe that we can’t go out and just outscore other teams.

“One of the knocks in the past on Riverside has been that they were a pure transition team, and that they couldn’t play in the half-court,” he added. “While we’re definitely a transition team, they are starting to realize the importance of execution in the half-court.”

Jefferson got 15 points from senior post Stacy Albrecht, but the 6-footer was the only Raider player in double figures. Jefferson’s leading scorer the last two seasons, junior guard Hannah Kiyohara, was held to just two points by Auburn Riverside. Kiyohara came into the game averaging nearly 15 points a game. Unique Taufa’asau finished with seven points for the Raiders.

The Ravens were led by junior Mercedes Wetmore’s 14 points, four steals and five assists. Kara Jenkins added 12 points and senior Amanda Thomson chipped in with 11 points.

With just two games left in the first half of the regular season, Rosin said the team is looking to smooth out its rough spots and start making a run at a third consecutive state title.

“I think you can expect the same from us in the second half – full-court, transition, high-pressure play,” he said. “I think we’ll be a little more consistent. So far, we’re a little bit up and down right now.

“We’re pretty close to getting what we need from everybody,” Rosin added. “I’ve got three or four players who haven’t hit their stride yet and should soon. We’re preparing for a state tournament run.”

The Federal Way girls moved above .500 in the SPSL North with a 59-43 win over Kentlake Tuesday night at home. The victory improved the Eagles to 3-2 in the North and 6-3 overall and leaves them in fourth place in the North behind Kentwood, Auburn Riverside and TJ.

Federal Way jumped out to a 16-6 lead after the first quarter and led 32-14 at halftime. Federal Way had four players score in double figures during the game, led by the 13 points of freshman Darah Huertas-Vining. Sophomores Tyshana Burgress and Talia Walton both tallied 12 points each and Brittany Barrington finished with 11.

The upstart Decatur Gators couldn’t get anything going offensively Tuesday night against the first-place Graham-Kapowsin Eagles. Graham-Kapowin’s defense limited the Gators to single digits in three quarters and won the game, 43-29.

The Eagles (5-0, 6-2) took control of the SPSL South game in the second quarter by outscoring Decatur, 15-7, to take a 23-12 halftime lead.

Decatur (3-2, 3-5) was led by the eight points of Sarah Quantz and five each from Sarah Isaac, Kayla Lipston and Abby McFaul.

The Todd Beamer girls (1-4, 1-7) got eight points from freshman Meghan Graf, but it wasn’t enough against Puyallup (3-1, 4-3). The Vikings downed the Titans, 46-25, Tuesday night in Puyallup.