Flagstaff and Valley Christian are getting ready for championship runs in different conferences in girls basketball so what better way to prepare than facing each other before the postseason begins.

Flagstaff used an individual run from senior guard Kia Sandoval in the second period and a team burst early in the fourth to defeat  Valley Christian, 61-44, at Valley Christian.

Sandoval led Flagstaff with 21 points, 14 in the first half. A trio of teammates added 10 points each -- Savannah Bix, Rachel Kortsen and Ileana Johnson. Valley Christian senior point guard Ashton Wolf led the Trojans with 22 points.

Flagstaff (22-3) won its 12th straight game and closes out the regular season Thursday with city rival Coconino. The Eagles have been a major player at state in 4A-II the last three seasons, reaching the semis each year, but losing by an average of two points each time. 

Valley Christian (24-2) has been better than that. The Trojans lost in the 2A semis in 2008 and 2009, won 2A last year with a perfect record and suffered only their third loss in three years in Tuesday's contest. Valley Christian begins 2A state competition on Saturday at a stie and time to be determined.

"We were happy when they agreed to come and play us this year," Valley Christian coach Scott Timmer said of the Eagles. "This is a good game to have. I just wish we would have had a little left in our legs at the end."

Both teams played either without injured players or players toughing it out through illness. With the game tight in the second period, Sandoval, who has been an effective sixth man for coach Tyrone Johnson, reeled off four consecutive baskets. Three of those were 3-pointers to go with one 3 she hit right off the bench when she first entered in the opening period. Those baskets led to a 33-17 Flagstaff lead late in period.

Valley Christian didn't fade away. With determined Wolf bulling her way down the lane and scoring seven points in the quarter, the Trojans managed to slice the lead to 33-25 by halftime.

Valley's surge didn't stop with intermission. Twice in the third period, again with Wolf leading the charge, the Trojans cut their deficit to three. The final time was at 45-42 entering the final quarter.

With fans primed for a frantic final period, Flagstaff doused that idea with a 8-0 run over the first 97 seconds of the quarter. Reserve guard Rancita David sank a 3, Johnson scored a layup off a behind-the-back feed and Sandoval canned her fifth three to bump the lead to 53-42. The Trojans managed just two points in the final period and didn't score in the final fiver minutes.

"Sandoval helps us off the bench the way she plays can score," Tyrone Johnson said. "She gives teams more to think about when she's in there....

"We  had our hands full in this one. We have a lot of respect for them, and what they've accomplished. It's incredible what they've done no matter what conference they're in."