<I>Hector del Castillo/Chieftain</I><BR>Anna Bird celebrates after Josey Kohlhepp's jump shot beat the final horn.

The Eagles solved their jinx of the fourth quarter.

Joseph High School senior Mariah Warnock converted four consecutive foul shots in the final minute Dec. 12, helping the girls’ basketball team clinch a 50-42 victory over Ione in a consolation of the Winter Classic at Enterprise.

Warnock ended up with 21 points, as she made 11 of 13 attempts at the line. “I guess I was just on with my free throws,” she said.

The Lady Eagles improved their record to 2-3. Senior Josey Kohlhepp scored 14 points for Joseph, while classmate Anna Bird had 7, junior Jesse Kohlhepp 5 and sophomore Jade DeLury 3.

Midway through in the fourth quarter, Jesse ignited the Eagles on a decisive run. Following halftime, they had taken the game’s biggest lead at 34-25. But Ione answered with eight straight points, pulling to within one. Then, Jesse sank a three-pointer. Bird fed Warnock, who banked a layup while drawing a foul. She tacked on a bonus point. Their next possession, a similar play resulted in Jesse scoring for a 42-33 advantage with three-minutes left.

The rest of the game, the Eagles maintained their edge.

“We’re a young team,” Warnock said. “We still have a lot to learn. This is pre-season. This will help us figure out things.”

Earlier last week, the fourth quarter troubled Joseph. In a 43-30 loss at home Dec. 8 to Enterprise, the Eagles mustered just one point in the fourth. Bird finished as their top scorer, with 12 points. Warnock contributed 10, Jesse 6 and Josey 2.

Three days later, the Eagles fell 54-42 to the Grizzlies of Griswold (or Helix) in the first round of the Winter Classic.

Bird finished the game with 14 points, Josey 10, Jesse 8, Warnock 6. Junior Emily Howerton chipped in another 4 points.

Before the upcoming holiday, the Eagles will play a busy schedule. The Joseph Education Foundation will hold its Dec. 18 and 19 tournament. Then, the Eagles will travel to Condon and Echo.