PRINEVILLE — Nights like Tuesday never get old for Crook County girls basketball coach Bob Boback, no matter how many hundreds and hundreds of games he has coached.

It was a matchup between two teams that reached the state tournament the past two years. And it was a conference rivalry between two squads that were unbeaten in Class 4A Tri-Valley Conference play.

“I am looking at myself in the mirror sometimes and thinking, ‘Why are you still getting so amped up after so many games?’ ” said Boback, in his 20th season coaching girls basketball and third at Crook County.

“This was a fun game. It was fun preparing for them. … They played so hard, they were out there fighting and digging. Lots of girls made some huge shots in huge moments.”

Crook County (11-5 overall, 4-0 Tri-Valley) took down Madras (10-5, 2-1) 55-50 Tuesday night in Prineville to claim sole possession of first place in the Tri-Valley Conference. It was the Cowgirls’ first win over the White Buffaloes since joining the conference last year.

“It was an important win for us,” said Crook County senior post Kaylyn Fildes. “We haven’t beaten them since we moved to 4A. So it has been a long time coming.”

Added Cowgirl sophomore wing Kacy Wiederholt: “It was an icebreaker for us, and it made us realize how we can be and how good we can get if we trust the process.”

Crook County trailed 18-17 after the first quarter but took a 29-28 lead into halftime and never relinquished its advantage in the second half. It was one of the Cowgirls’ most balanced scoring games all season as five players scored at least five points.

No Cowgirl had more success at putting the ball in the bucket against Madras than Wiederholt, who scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Fildes also reached double figures with 14 points. Freshman guard Anna Bales, the Cowgirls’ leading scorer this season, finished with nine points.

“Tonight showed the importance of working together,” Wiederholt said. “The only reason I was getting open shots is because all the other girls were working hard. If we aren’t working together, no one is getting shots.”

The Crook County defense was swarming against the White Buffaloes, holding them to 50 points. Only three other teams this season were able to limit Madras to 50 points or less.

Madras was led by senior Maija Poland, who finished with a team-high 15 points. Senior Katelyn Tanewasha finished with nine points, while freshman Alisha Yallup and senior Kalyn Leonard each scored seven points.

Boback praised the efforts of senior Raelynn Weaver, whose main task was guarding Madras’ talented scorer Sasha Esquiro. Weaver was in Esquiro’s hip pocket all game and held her scoreless.

“We are aggressive, we are tough and we don’t ever give up,” Fildes said.

Said Boback: “My teams have always played tough. But the reality is, they just play hard.”

The second round of Tri-Valley Conference play will continue this week with Madras hosting Estacada Thursday at 7 p.m. Crook County will try to keep its unbeaten Tri-Valley record intact on the road Friday against The Dalles, a team it beat 51-36 earlier this month.