The dream didn’t quite end the way they wanted but the Corvallis Blue Devils certainly had their chance at playing Cinderella at the Class A state tournament in Butte over the weekend. Although they lost out in their final game, the consolation game against Butte Central, they made history again by playing Saturday night for third place.
“It has been a fantastic experience,” said senior Corinne Sanderson. “We showed that we could play with heart and that we deserved to be in this tournament.”
Although the Blue Devils lost out to Butte Central in their final game, they were able to knock off Havre on Saturday morning and Hamilton on Friday afternoon. But the Saturday morning game may have taken more than they expected out of the team. Sanderson said that although no one wants to make excuses, “but everyone’s a little tired, including Butte which is a fantastic team. They deserved what they earned tonight.”
Butte Central jumped out to an early lead in the battle for third place on Saturday night and built up an 11-0 lead before Penny Jessop sank a short bucket over halfway through the first quarter. By that time, Sanderson was sitting on the bench with two fouls. Emme Warnken sank a three pointer right at the buzzer to give the Blue Devils a boost but they trailed by eight points.
Jessop continued to work hard and find the open shot or player. “I really felt like we could win it. We tried a new defense on them but it didn’t exactly go as planned. They are an amazing team and play so well together.”
But the third time was not the charm for the Blue Devils. Butte Central continued to build the lead and for every run Corvallis made at them, the Maroons came right back with a couple of baskets. By the time the break at the half came, Butte Central was up by 16 points. They went on to win, 60-41.
“They shot the ball real well early but at the same time, they’re a talented team,” said coach Andy Knapp. “I’ve watched those guards for long enough now and you got to give them credit for what they are.”
Knapp spoke about the team’s season and what’s in store for the future. He said the season had had some trials with injuries and a loss of a family member but those trials brought his team closer.
“There were a lot of emotions,” he said. “It took us a long time to shake both parts of that but I think it really did tighten us up as a group.”
Knapp said that throughout the season, someone has always stepped up and this tournament was no different. “Saturday morning, Corinne stepped up. Tonight it was Penny. That’s how our season has gone.”
The Corvallis Blue Devils didn’t get down, didn’t back off, and didn’t give up even when some were in foul trouble. Instead they played with heart and determination and pulled through to win the loser out game Saturday morning against Havre, 47-37.
The Blue Devils and the Blue Ponies played a close game until the middle of the third quarter when Corvallis took the lead on a shot by Calla Haldorson. They never trailed again. Havre’s Naomi Terry hit a trey to pull the Blue Ponies within three but that was as close as Havre came in the quarter.
Corvallis’ Corrine Sanderson was on a mission, leading the rebounding with nine defensive rebounds and 16 points. She was two-of-three from beyond the arc and three-of-four at the charity line. The Blue Devils controlled the boards, pulling down 26 defensive rebounds and 12 offensive rebounds. Havre had 31 total rebounds.
“They were playing the way we know they can play,” said assistant coach Zane Warnken.
Both Corvallis and Hamilton were a bit tentative in the beginning of their loser out game on Friday afternoon. But Corvallis soon settled down and built up a seven-point lead by the end of the first quarter in the physical game. Both teams were physical and had a total of nine fouls at the end of the first quarter.
The margin stayed within 10 points for most of the first three quarters, with Corvallis maintaining the lead. Hamilton would reduce the lead but then the Blue Devils came right back. By the end of the half, Corvallis had a nine-point lead. Corrine Sanderson and Hamilton’s Reilly Rostad were pitted against each other and really battled it out in the first half.
“Corrine and Reilly, they’ve had quite a battle in both basketball and soccer,” said Hamilton coach Mark Albert. “Reilly’s had a great tournament.”
In the second half, Knapp switched Sanderson out and put Haldorson on Rostad. He said that Haldorson’s quick hands were trouble for guards.
“She just gets her hands on the ball and tips the ball a lot. Other girls get the steal but she had her hands on it first,” said Knapp. “So we put her on point guards.”
Although Hamilton played hard, they could not erase the 10-point deficit throughout the second half. Every time they sank a bucket and pulled within eight points, Corvallis answered.
“We struggled a little bit today. We actually missed a ton of lay-ups. We probably missed 10 points worth of lay-ups,” said Albert. “We spent everything we had last night against Hardin.”
Corvallis went on to win, 44-31. Emme Warnken had 10 points to lead Corvallis and Haldorson pulled down nine rebounds. Hamilton was led by sophomore Lauren Ryter’s 10 points.
“She (Ryter) had a big game, and a big game last night,” said Albert. “She’s our project sophomore.”
Hamilton took on Hardin, the No. 1 team from the East, in their first game. Hardin entered the tournament with a 21-1 record. Hamilton had an 8-15 record. Hamilton played tough but couldn’t slow the Bulldogs down. Rostad scored 15 and Ryter followed with 13 points.
“ I’m pretty proud of them for that because it’s easy to go ‘we’re going to get beat by Hardin anyway and save something. They didn’t save a thing,” said Albert.
Hamilton lost to Hardin, 69-54, in their opening game of the tournament. The Bulldogs came out on fire and scored 21 points in the opening frame, leaving Hamilton to dig themselves out of the hole. The Lady Broncs gained a little but it was too much and fell to the eventual runner up in the state.
Corvallis opened against Belgrade who lost out to Butte Central on Saturday morning. Knapp said his team played tough but may have underestimated Belgrade’s ability to hit the three point shot. Corvallis took the lead early and had a one-point lead at the end of three quarters. But Belgrade had an explosive fourth quarter and went on to win, 60-53.
Columbia Falls defeated Hardin for the championship.
Box Scores
Belgrade 60, Corvallis 53
Belgrade – Shania Neubauer 17, Bailey Christensen 5, Gabby Weber 15, Krista Brown 4, Hannah Gee 1, Kiah Hohenstein 16, Pipi Eitel 2.
Corvallis – Penny Jessop 4, Calla Haldorson 17, Emme Wanken 13, Corinne Sanderson 9, Genesis Keith 1, Lainie Albright 7, Tayler Wright 2.
Hardin 69, Hamilton 54.
Hamilton – Kara Nye 2, Mallory McGill 10, Reilly Rostad 15, Rachael Ringer 9, Lauren Ryter 13, Tristan Searle 5.
Hardin – Madisan Chavez 15, Sharmayne Hardy 12, Trahnea Phelan 6, Karissa Dushane 14, Aubrey Meiwald 12, Mashaya Alden 4, Arena Penty 4, Marie Five 2.
Corvallis 44, Hamilton 31
Hamilton – Tristan Searle 5, Reilly Rostad 4, Rachael Ringer1, Lauren Ryter 10, Kara Nye 8, Kailan Rocheleau 3.
Corvallis – Penny Jessop 8, Calla Haldorson 6, Emme Warnken 10, Corinne Sanderson 8, Steffani Stoker 5, Lainie Albright 6, Tayler Wright 1.
Corvallis 47, Havre 37
Havre – Ceyara Plante 6, Kyndall Keller 12, Naomi Terry 17, Danielle Wallace 2.
Corvallis – Penny Jessop 7, Calla Haldorson 7, Emme Warnken 10, Corinne Sanderson 16, Genesis Keith 2,
Steffani Stoker 2, Lainie Albright 3.
Third place
Butte Central 60, Corvallis 41
Corvallis – Penny Jessop 6, Calla Haldorson 4, Emme Warnken 14, Corinne Sanderson 6, Genesis Keith 5, Lainie Albright 3, Tayler Wright 3.
Butte Central – Kloie Thatcher 10, Mollie Peoples 112, Emily St. John 21, Tricia Joyce 4, Caleigh Mullaney 2, Olivia Bolton 7, Bella Sorini 2, Emma Keeley 2.
Corinne Sanderson was named to the second team, All Tournament team, on Sunday. Penny Jessop and Emme Warnken were named honorable mention players for the team.
The selections were made for All State and All Conference for the Southwest Conference. Selected as All State/1st Team All Conference were: Brynley Fitzgerald (Beaverhead), Mollie Peoples (Butte Central), Emily St. John (Butte Central), Corinne Sanderson (Corvallis) and Kloie Thatcher (Butte Central).
Named to the Second Team All Conference were: Calla Haldorson (Corvallis), Kylie Christiansen (Beaverhead), Bailey Berriochoa (Beaverhead), Emme Warnken (Corvallis), and Angel Richards (Stevensville). Sanderson and Warnken are seniors while Haldorson and Richards are sophomores.