Recovering from a three-overtime loss to a rival usually isn’t easy, but the girls basketball team at Big Park Community School is making it appear to be.

On Tuesday, Jan. 17, the Coyotes won their second consecutive game since the overtime debacle to Camp Verde Middle School on Jan. 10, handing Beaver Creek School a 36-20 loss at home in the Village of Oak Creek.

“We mixed it up a bit. I did some more substituting early, and we weren’t quite ready for it,” Big Park Head Coach Amy Parrella said. “We were able to take a lot of shots and get points because our defense was solid, giving us more opportunities.”

The first win after the loss to the Cowboys came against Clarkdale-Jerome School in a 48-4 victory Jan. 11.

The Coyotes are 8-1 overall this season and should be the No. 1 overall seed heading in to the Verde Valley Athletic Association Small Schools Tournament at the end of January.

Big Park started the season a perfect 6-0 before the Cowboys stole the show, winning 31-30 in a three-overtime thriller Jan. 10.

Against Beaver Creek on Tuesday, eighth-grader Annie Parrella led the Coyotes in scoring with nine points and had two assists while eighth-grade teammate Jessica Kirkham had eight points and two assists.

Seventh-grader Taylor Ryan had seven points, six rebounds and five steals while sixth-grader Liza Westervelt had four points, three steals and three assists.

Other standouts included seventh-grader Sophia Perry, who had six points, eight rebounds and two steals, while eighth-grader Ashley Sutherland did not score but had 10 rebounds.

“We work hard on our rebounds and Ashley [Sutherland] did a great job. I’m so proud of all our kids; they did a great job. They are so smart,” Amy Parrella said.

The 8-1 Coyotes were in action Thursday, Jan. 19, when they traveled to cross-valley rival West Sedona School. Big Park beat the Wildcats handily Jan. 3, 41-3. Results of Thursday’s game were unavailable at press time.

Next up, Big Park will wrap up the regular season schedule with a home game against Oak Creek School on Monday, Jan. 23. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The VVAA Small Schools Tournament is scheduled to begin Friday, Jan. 27, and is hosted by Clarkdale-Jerome. A tournament bracket has yet to be released.