Any game between Hamilton and Stevensville is always an exciting game and the one last Thursday was no exception. Hamilton was looking to get revenge for an earlier loss while Stevensville was hoping to score the upset one more time. In the end, it was a three point shot by Hamilton’s Hunter Omlid that put the Broncs up for good with a minute and a half remaining in the game. Hamilton won, 54-49.
“Whenever we play Stevi, it’s always going to be close,” said Hamilton coach Travis Blome. “It’s a hard fought rivalry. Stevi, to their credit, came out ready to go and it was just a battle to the end.”
Hamilton jumped out to an early lead and had doubled the ‘Jackets up by the end of the first quarter. Stevensville senior Bryce Torrey, who can score from inside and from beyond the three-point line, only took one shot in the frame.
“Bryce is our only senior and there’s been a lot of focus on him,” said Tyler Hobbs, Stevensville’s coach. “They played zone all night and we had to figure out how to beat their zone.”
But the ‘Jackets played patiently in the second quarter and sank a couple of treys to take the lead briefly when James Fry hit a long ball. Hamilton was moving players in and out, looking to find the right mix to slow Stevensville down. By the half, the Broncs led by just two points. Early in the third quarter Stevensville went on a run and led by as many as five points before Hamilton’s Ky Burch stepped up and sank a three to put Hamilton up. Fry heated up and found the basket a couple of times. He finished with 23 points. Stevensville kept the lead throughout the early part of the fourth quarter although Hamilton was right there and the lead was never more than five points. Hamilton came out in a full court press with under two minutes to play and that press led to the turnover that Omlid made the trey on.
“We had some ugly turnovers,” said Hobbs. “And that let them get some baskets.”
“We knew what they had,” said Blome. “They beat us down there so we already knew that they were more than capable. It was just one of those games that came down “to the wire. We went on a run, they went on a run, we just ended with the last run.”
Hamilton 54, Stevensville 49
Stevensville – Liam LeCoure 3, Jarod Kingsbury 5, James Fry 23, Dalton Bragg 9, Bryce Torrey 9.
Hamilton – Josh Heath 7, Bridger Bauder 2, Bret Huxtable 3, Ky Burch 7, Hunter Omlid 10, Jaylen Taggart 2, Carter Kearns 23.
Hamilton traveled to Dillon to take on the league-leading Beavers on Saturday. Although the first half was close, the Beavs pulled away in the third quarter and won, 61-42. Carter Kearns finished with 15 points to lead the Broncs.
Dillon 61, Hamilton 42
Hamilton – Heath 3, Bauder 7, Huxtable 1, Omlid 5, Taggart 6, Tanner Goligoski 5, Kearns 15.
Dillon– Hritsco 9, Simkins 5, Haverfield 5, Lafrentz 2, Andersen 19, Huber 2, Haverfield 13, Fitzgerald 2, Wilson 2, Allison 2.
Stevensville fell to Loyola, 60-36, on Friday. Although the Yellowjackets held the lead at the end of the half, the Rams went on a 17 point run in the third quarter and shut the ‘Jacket offense down.
Loyola 60, Stevensville 36
Loyola – Pohlman 5, Twite 1, Koppang 12, Cooper 5, Zheng 6, McHugh 14, Davis 6, Ermatinger 5, Round 6.
Stevensville –LeCoure 7, Kingsbury 3, Fry 1, Keanu Miwa-Vogan 3, Colby Meeds 2, Bragg 6, Chayse Richards 5, Logan Roth 3, Torrey 6.
Victor picked up an emotional win on Senior Night against Philipsburg. The Pirates have been without Jack Pederson all season because of an injury he sustained last fall. The senior was hoping to get the go-ahead from his doctor to be able to play this week but it didn’t happen. However Victor coach Drew Lewis figured out a way to have Pederson participate in his final at home game. Pederson has been suiting up and warming up but hasn’t been able to move very freely. Lewis sent him in for the tip off where Pederson just crouched there. Philipsburg got the tip, of course, and ran to their basket. ON the next possession for Victor, Austin Lewis snapped the ball up to Pederson who swung around and swished the bucket. Pederson’s mother, Robin Barber, said she didn’t think there was a dry eye in the house.
The game was back and forth all night and finished the four quarters in a tie at 36 all. Jared Halley hit a trey to give the lead, by one point to the Pirates. Victor then went to the free throw line and sank four free throws to seal the 43-38 victory. Logan McKinley led the scoring for the Pirates with 11 points.
Victor 43, Philipsburg 38 OT
Philipsburg – Grange 5, Linn 4, Munis 14, Keltner 10, Byrne 1
Victor – Austin Lewis 4, Jared Halley 10, Riley DellaSilva 5, Logan McKinley 11, Colt Neville 9, Jace Allred 2, Jack Pederson 2.
Victor finished the regular season with a 50-40 win in Seeley. The game was close in the first half with only one point separating the two and the Blackhawks having the lead at the half. But Victor got hot in the third quarter and put up 16 points while holding Seeley to only seven. Riley DellaSilva broke loose for 19 points for Victor. Neville had 20 points to lead all scorers.
Victor 50, Seeley-Swan 40
Victor – Austin Lewis 2, Jarod Halley 1, JD Kay 2, Riley DellaSilva 19, Logan McKinley 6, Colt Neville 20.
Seeley-Swan – Haley 10, K. Johnson 3, Robinett 2, Cahoon 8, Miller3, C. Johnson 1, Haines 10, Sloan 3.
Corvallis split their games this past weekend, notching a win over Columbia Falls and then falling to Butte Central. The Blue Devils powered over the Wildcats with a 49-42 win even without leading scorer Chase Jessop. Caleb Powell stepped up and led the scoring with 16 points and Jacob Geary added 11.
Corvallis 49, Columbia Falls 42
Corvallis – Dillon Lewis 9, Caleb Powell 16, Jacob Geary 11, Tylor Nixon 5, Justin Catanach 4, Kobe Jessop 2, Tannon Allred 2.
Columbia Falls – Riley 16, Stephens 4, Murphy 4, Bridwell 4, Morrison 6, Tucker 8.
The Blue Devils came out strongly against the Maroons from Butte Central on Saturday but couldn’t hold on to the lead in the fourth quarter. Butte Central won, 61-53. Still playing without Chase Jessop, the Blue Devils’ offense looked to Tylor Nixon who knocked down 23 points.
Butte Central 61, Corvallis 53
Butte Central – Johnston 13, McGree 27, Harper 4, Holter 8, Kump 8, Petritz 1.
Corvallis – Danner Miller 2, Dillon Lewis 10, Caleb Powell 6, Spencer Jessop 2, Tylor Nixon 23, Justin Catanach 6, Tannon Allred 4.
Florence notched a non-conference win in their final regular season game. The Falcons led throughout the game and had three players finish in double figures – Dan Mickelson with 18, Levi Clagett with 16, and Marcus Zeiler with 12 points. The Falcons completed the regular season with only one loss.
Florence 59, Frenchtown 51
Frenchtown– Price 8, Smith 4, Rasor 6, Spadt 2, Lucier 8, Means 10, King 13.
Florence – Levi Edwards 4, Bo Zeiler 1, Marcus Zeiler 12, Levi Clagett 16, Jake Christopherson 8, Dan Mickelson 18.
The Clark Fork Mountain Cats edged the Darby Tigers out of a win on Thursday in Alberton. The five-point spread in the second quarter proved to be the difference in the game as Clark Fork won, 42-40. Freshman Dylan Parks broke loose for 16 points to lead Darby.
Clark Fork 42, Darby 40
Darby – Dylan Parks 16, Zach McCrossin 3, Zach Kline 2, John Beckers 12, Andy Smith 3, Cory Valenzano 4.
Clark Fork – Perkins 12, Voll 12, Warren 5, Kelly 10, Turnbull 3.
Seeley-Swan came to Darby on Friday night. It was the second quarter again that got the Tigers. Seeley out scored the Tigers by nine points and went on to win, 61-47. Zach McCrossin had 18 points and Parks added 13 more.
Seeley-Swan 61, Darby 47
Seeley – Haley 20, K. Johnson 2, Robinett 3, Cahoon 11, Miller 9, C. Johnson 6, Haines 6, Sloan 4.
Darby – Parks 13, McCrossin 18, Kline 6, Beckers 8, Valenzano 2.