The year’s first outing for the Bainbridge High School varsity girls basketball team, a non-league road game against Port Angeles on Tuesday, Dec. 3, was not the tone-setter Spartan sports fans might have hoped for.

A 71-44 loss marred the island girls’ debut trip onto the court.

The Spartans will next return to home turf for a four-game streak in Paski Gymnasium, starting with a game against Bishop Blanchet at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6.

They next play North Kitsap at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9.

As an additional treat, school officials recently announced that during the NK game, they will be honoring the storied 1999 state champion Bainbridge team, about seven of whom are local and set to come make an appearance.