The Cedar Rapids Jefferson girls basketball team played an excellent game Friday night, full of energy and passion and aggressive plays.

Unfortunately for the J-Hawks, the visitors from Cedar Rapids Washington had too much firepower and too much size.

Dani Franklin, Aleena Hobbs and Abby Herb combined for 64 points as the Warriors outlasted Jefferson, 79-68, in the final game of the Mississippi Valley Conference season at Jefferson.

The J-Hawks played extremely well in the first quarter and grabbed a 22-14 lead with quick moves, crisp passing and no fear.

"I was looking up and thinking, 'I don't know if we can play much better,'" Jefferson Coach Jason Edwards remarked later.

The J-Hawks led by 10 points, 26-16, early in the second quarter with some of its best basketball of the season.

Jefferson owned a 49-41 lead in the third quarter, but point guard Dani Stromert picked up her third foul with 4:46 left in the stanza and the game shifted in Washington's favor when Stromert took a seat. Stromert collected 12 assists in the game and the J-Hawks missed her leadership in the backcourt.

Washington led 55-53 after three quarters and the Warriors grabbed a seven-point advantage at 63-56 on a 3-pointer by Hobbs. Jefferson pulled within 63-61 on five straight points by Kaitlyn Davidson, but Franklin hit a big 3-pointer to make it 66-61.

The rest of the game belonged to Washington, which snapped a three-game losing streak and finished the regular season with records of 15-6 overall and 9-4 in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

"Hopefully this gives us a little bit of bounce at the right time," said Washington Coach Frank Howell.

The Warriors have drawn a bye in the first round of the Class 5A regional tournament and will host Prairie or Linn-Mar in the semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 16.

Franklin, a 6-foot-1 junior, popped in four 3-pointers and netted 24 points for Washington. Hobbs, a 5-10 junior, scored 23 points. Herb, a 6-foot senior, scored 17 points and blocked a series of Jefferson shots near the basket.

"I've been around Abby for a long time," said Edwards, a long-time Washington assistant before becoming the head coach at Jefferson this season. "I didn't know she was that much of a shot-blocker."

Davidson, a 5-6 senior, poured in five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 26 points for Jefferson. Maddie Koolbeck collected 14 points for the J-Hawks and Rachel Broghammer added 11.

Jefferson finished the regular season at 8-13 overall and 5-8 in the MVC, but the J-Hawks showed a lot of heart and spunk Friday heading into the playoffs. Jefferson will play Kennedy in the regional quarterfinals next Wednesday at Kennedy.

"Coach keeps telling us our best game is ahead of us," said Davidson.

Washington whipped the J-Hawks, 58-39, in their first meeting Dec. 21. Edwards said his team learned a few lessons from that game and was prepared to attack Washington's pressure defense in the rematch.

Edwards is now 0-for-2 against Howell, a good friend and mentor.

"I wanted this one," said Edwards. "And to be that close and not get it ... It's like playing your big brother. You want to beat him."

Edwards made it a little too close for comfort for his old pal. "He knew exactly what we were going to do all the time," said Howell.

Hobbs was glad the Warriors snapped their three-game losing streak and got 64 points from their leading scorers with the playoffs on the horizon.

"It's definitely what we needed," she said.

The Warriors hit 20 of 24 free throws.

WASHINGTON (79): Herb 7 3-4 17, Malcolm 0 0-0 0, Hobbs 8 6-6 23, Bjornsen 1 3-6 5, Glenski 1 2-2 5, Kramer 2 0-0 5, Franklin 7 6-6 24, Cook 0 0-0 0, Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 20-24 79.

JEFFERSON (68): Davidson 10 1-2 26, Blietz 2 0-0 4, Stromert 0 2-2 2, Jacobson 3 0-0 7, Broghammer 5 1-2 11, Koolbeck 6 1-2 14, Ollinger 1 2-2 4, Timmerman 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 7-10 68.

Halftime - Jefferson 37, Washington 36. 3-point goals - Washington 7 (Franklin 4, Hobbs 1, Glenski 1, Kramer 1), Jefferson 7 (Davidson 5, Jacobson 1, Koolbeck 1).