The Hamilton Lady Broncs will advance to the state Class A tournament in Butte this Thursday. They will play the No. 1 seed from the Eastern Divisional tournament, Hardin, who has a record of 20-1. That game will be at 8 p.m.
Hamilton, the scariest team in the conference according to senior Reilly Rostad, upset Dillon Saturday morning in loser out action to advance to the third place game Saturday afternoon where they played Butte Central, last year’s state champions. The top four teams in the division advance.
Coach Mark Albert said that although not all of his players are as skilled as some of the other teams, his Lady Broncs are very athletic and able to adapt to play really tough defense. It was defense that put Hamilton up and over Dillon in loser out action on Saturday morning. Both teams had played tough games on Friday night but Hamilton’s Rachael Ringer was in “beast mode” as Albert put it, and played very aggressively under the basket. Although she only finished with four points in the game, it was her defense and rebounding that worked to Hamilton’s advantage. Mallory McGill also stepped up her game and created points from turnovers as well as dropping some three-point shots. She finished with 17 points even though she was coming down with the crud.
After being tied at the end of the first quarter, Hamilton went on a 17-10 run in the second. Dillon came back in the third to pull within four points but could never get past that. Hamilton went on to win, 46-37, and advanced to the third place game against Butte Central.
Hamilton 46, Dillon 37
Dillon – Truman 19, Roush 6, Peterson 4, Berriochoa 4, Fitzgerald 4.
Hamilton – Mallory McGill 17, Reilly Rostad 13, Kara Nye 5, Rachael Ringer 4, Tessa Della Silva 3, Tristy Searle 2, Lauren Ryter 2.
Both teams had played tough games just five hours before the third place game, and they had both played late on Friday night. This game was their third game in 30 hours. Butte Central took an early lead in the game and cruised out to an 11-point lead at the half. Turnovers were hurting the Lady Broncs along with dismal shooting. But the team rallied in the second half. Hamilton crept back into the game at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the final frame. Tessa Della Silva hit a short shot, Rostad hit another and the Lady Broncs were within three points of the lead. But then Molly Peoples hit one of her four field goals and gave the Maroons a little room, but not for long. Kara Nye hit a long range shot from two feet behind the top of the key to keep Hamilton within four points. On the ensuing inbounds play, Butte Central turned the ball over and Hamilton had another chance. Tristy Searle hit a trey from the baseline. Butte Central made one more free throw and won, 44-42.
“We almost got that one, isn’t that crazy,” exclaimed Albert. “They were dead tired and they were just more skilled and experienced than we were. It was hard for us to come back but boy, we did.”
Butte Central 44, Hamilton 42
Butte Central – Thatcher 10, Bolton 2, Peoples 10, Sorini 2, St. John 10, Joyce 5, Strizic 2, Holm 3.
Hamilton – Della Silva 6, Searle 11, Nye 3, McGill 3, Rostad 11, Sophia Doyle 2, Ringer 4, Ryter 2.
Hamilton had to take on the powerful Columbia Falls WildKats in their first game of the tournament. Columbia Falls is a very tall, physical team while Hamilton is much smaller. Columbia Falls worked the ball inside for high percentage shots and quickly built up a lead. By the end of the first half, they were up by nine and went on to win, 55-28. Kara Nye had eight points including two long-range treys.
Columbia Falls 55, Hamilton 28
Hamilton – Della Silva 3, Searle 6, Nye 8, Rostad 5, Doyle 4, Ryter 2.
Columbia Falls – Douglas 9, Gellerman 2, Finberg 8, P. Kehr 7, R. Kehr 5, Burlage 13, Cowan 2, Hovde 9.
The Hamilton girls dominated the Whitefish Lady Bulldogs in loser out action on Friday morning. Whitefish, who doesn’t have a senior on the team, picked up their first win on Thursday with a win over Polson in a low scoring game. Hamilton dominated the game on all aspects and Coach Mark Albert played his entire bench. Hamilton had 42 rebounds compared to Whitefish’s 27 boards. Mallory McGill was the leading scorer for the Lady Broncs with 11 points.
Hamilton 46, Whitefish 16
Whitefish – L. Schultz 4, Moore 2, Nagler 2, Catina 3, A Brown 3, Vasquez 2
Hamilton – Della Silva 5, T. Searle 4, A. Searle 3, Nye 2, McGill 11, Rostad 8, Kailen Rocheleau 2, Ringer 3, Ryter 8.
The Stevensville girls opened the Western A Divisional tournament with a win over Whitefish. The Lady Yellowjackets opened up an early lead and took a 15-point lead into the break at the half. They utilized the entire court, pulling the defense off the basket and then dishing to Angel Richards, Haley Kampka, or Evynne Alexander for the inside shot.
Whitefish came back in the third quarter and put some pressure on the Lady Yellowjackets but after a couple of turnovers, Stevensville settled back down to their game. Kampka finished with 15 points, and Richards and Alexander each had 13 points. They maintained their lead throughout the game and won, 65-42.
Stevensville 65, Whitefish 44
Stevensville – Maddie Paul 3, Megan Pendergast 7, Evynne Alexander 13, Angel Richards 13, Haley Kampka 15, Kayla Schmiedeke 4, Makayla Davids 9, Hannah Fry 1.
Whitefish – Schulz 3, Hope Brown 4, Nagler 2, Wilson 2, Brown 2, Vasquez 15, Kastella 5, Bender 11.
After topping Whitefish on Wednesday, Stevensville had to take on Dillon in Dillon’s opening game. The Lady ‘Jackets stayed with the Lady Beavs in the first quarter but then fell behind. Dillon went on to win, 52-21.
Dillon 52, Stevensville 21
Dillon – Christiansen 15, Petersen 9, Truman 8, Fitzgerald 6, Rouse 4, McKay 4, Berriochoa 3, Hildreth 2, Tatarka 1.
Stevensville – Richards 8, Davids 4, Kampka 3, Alexander 3, Megan Pendergast 3.
Stevensville finished their season with a loser out game against Frenchtown on Friday. Although the Lady ‘Jackets had a strong first quarter, they couldn’t maintain their lead and lost, 42-27. Angel Richards led Stevi with 10 points. Stevensville finished with a record of 5-16.
First-year coach Jordan Hasquet said he was proud of his team’s performance at the tournament and the growth they showed this season.