UPDATE: As of Friday morning, Ali Parkin’s condition is reported to have improved. A source stated that Parkin is wiggling her toes and her right leg is fine but she still lacks feeling in her left leg. She is expected to begin physical therapy soon as an MRI on her spinal cord looked positive. The Daily World provide updates if and when they become available.

What started as a festive early-season matchup between two Twin Harbors teams took a worrisome, somber tone by game’s end.

Montesano defeated Aberdeen 42-21 on Thursday at Montesano High School, but the final score was the furthest thing from the minds of all those in attendance.

With the Bulldogs (1-1 overall) in cruise-control mode midway through the fourth quarter, Montesano senior Ali Parkin and Aberdeen sophomore Sawyer Shoemaker got tangled up competing for a rebound underneath the Bulldogs basket.

In what could only be described as a freak injury, Shoemaker and Parkin’s arms got locked together as the two were falling to the ground, causing Parkin’s torso to twist as she hit the floor.

Parkin was visibly in pain as Montesano players waved for medical staff to attend to their fallen teammate.

Parkin laid belly-down on the floor for several minutes while being attended to my medical staff and school officials. The senior, who is known as an enthusiastic leader in multiple sports, did not move from that position for nearly 15 minutes as paramedics arrived on scene.

A hush fell over the crowd as a backboard was used to immobilize Parkin and she was placed on a stretcher.

The spirited atmosphere of the game was gone as all thoughts were on Parkin and her condition.

Montesano head coach Mark Mansfield struggled through the emotions of the evening when trying to put what happened into words.

“You know, it’s one of those things in competition. Weird things happen. I think they were just playing for a rebound,” he said. “Obviously, we’re just praying for the best. … Those things happen in sports and stuff and from our end, it was hard to see what happened. It was just two kids playing hard and it was just an unfortunate thing that happened.”

Parkin’s teammates were clearly rattled by the injury as they watched the scene unfold from the sideline in an eerily quiet Bo Griffith Memorial Gymnasium.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Ava Schrader (22) and the Montesano Bulldogs look on as teammate Ali Parkin is placed on a stretcher after suffering an injury in a 42-21 win over Aberdeen on Thursday at Montesano High School.

Shoemaker was also visibly upset, trying to hold back tears as her coaches escorted her back toward the locker room, where she watched from the side of the stands with watery eyes and hands clasped almost as if in prayer.

Parkin was placed on a stretcher and, according to those on scene, stated she lacked feeling in her feet. She was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

The two teams decided to forgo the final 5:27 seconds of game time and end it right there, with Monte earning a 42-21 win.

Aberdeen head coach Curtis Eccles said the choice to end the game early was an obvious one.

“Out of respect for everybody, for her family, the fans and the team that was emotionally impacted by this accident, it was the right thing to do,” he said. “I do hope that it’s nothing serious and we pray she recovers mighty quickly.”

Eccles said he told his team, which was also shaken up by what transpired, that there are “more important things than basketball.”

“This is an example in life that there are so many more important things than the game,” he said. “We do send our condolences to her family and hope for a speedy recovery.”

As far as the game was concerned, junior Jillie Dalan led all scorers with 15 points and added 10 rebounds and seven steals to lead the Bulldogs.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano forward Jillie Dalan (24) scored a game-high 15 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 42-21 victory over Aberdeen on Thursday in Montesano.

Senior Ava Schrader added 14 points and nine rebounds while sophomore guard Tieander Olson had seven points and six steals for Monte.

“The only thing I talked about tonight was that I liked our effort and we played hard,” Mansfield said of his postgame speech. “But all our energy is focused on Ali right now. We told the girls that when something scary happens like that, your first reaction is to panic. We don’t have any control over that. So they just need to be there for their teammate and friend and hope and pray for the best. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, we’ll hear good news and we’ll deal with tomorrow, tomorrow.”

Aberdeen, which was playing in its season-opener, was led by senior Alvyia Lamont with six points.

Monte capitalized on 28 Bobcats turnovers in the game and the Bulldogs hit 14-of-64 shots from the field (21.9%) and made 13-of-27 free throws (48.1%).

Parin’s condition was updated on Friday morning as a source stated that Parkin is wiggling her toes and her right leg is fine but she still lacks feeling in her left leg. She is expected to begin physical therapy soon as an MRI on her spinal cord looked positive.

Aberdeen hosts Rochester at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Montesano will play at Toutle Lake at 7 p.m. on Monday.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen point guard Sophie Knutson (left) dribbles while being defended by Montesano’s Tieander Olson (12) and Josie Forster during the Bulldogs’ 42-21 win on Tuesday in Montesano.

Aberdeen 3 11 7 0 – 21

Montesano 13 13 10 6 – 42

Scoring: Aberdeen – Lamont 6, Brown 5, Mainio 3, Dunlap 2, S. Shoemaker 2, Kolodzie 2, Knutson 1. Montesano – Dalan 15, Schrader 14, Olson 7, Parkin 2, Wade 1.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Ava Schrader (22) shoots against Aberdeen’s Bentley Brown during the Bulldogs’ 42-21 win on Tuesday in Montesano.