The Florence girls basketball team finished in 4th place at the Montana Class B State Tournament in Bozeman on Saturday, March 15. Florence lost to Missoula Loyola 47-61 in the consolation game on Saturday afternoon to end their season.
Florence played four games over three days at the state tournament. In their opening round game on Thursday, Florence defeated Huntley Project 66-54. This sent them to the Friday night semifinals, where they lost to Baker 63-69 (Baker went on to claim the Class B championship). This loss sent Florence to the loser’s side of the bracket where they defeated Ennis 67-51 on Saturday morning. Finally, the Ennis win sent them to the consolation game against Loyola on Saturday afternoon.
“It was a great run,” said Florence head coach Shane Meinhold. “The girls played hard and gave it everything they had for all four games. There were lots of tears after the last game. We’ve had an awesome group of seniors that have meant so much to this program.They’ve left behind a legacy of a player-led program that I’m hopeful the incoming seniors and future players will continue to make happen.”
Florence may have missed out on a trophy, but they proved their status as one of the state’s premier teams. The Falcons notched two impressive wins at state and stood as the only team to truly threaten the undefeated champions, Baker.
“We were a couple plays away from beating the top team in Class B and no other team can say that,” said Meinhold.
Despite the unpredictable nature of the postseason, Florence’s performance throughout the tournament was a testament to their talent and tenacity.
Game Recaps
Florence 47, Missoula Loyola 61
The Florence girls played Missoula Loyola in the Class B State consolation game on Saturday afternoon. This was the fifth time the two teams had played this season. They split their regular season contests, then Loyola defeated Florence for the District 6B crown, and Florence defeated Loyola for the Western B Division title. It was a taxing game for both teams, as it was their third game in less than a 24-hour period.
The teams once again proved to be an even match as Florence jumped out to a 12-11 first-quarter lead, and Loyola led 23-22 at halftime. Florence faltered in the third quarter and were outscored 13-22, so they trailed 35-45 heading into the fourth. Florence got within striking distance down the stretch, but ran out of steam and lost to Loyola 47-61.
For Florence, Ali Meinhold led the scoring with 26 points, including five 3-pointers. Maggie Schneiter had 6 points. Emory Ralston had 5, Kendyl Meinhold and Shelby Crocker each had 3. Jaden Fisher and Madigan Hurlbert each added 2.
Florence 66, Huntley Project 54
Florence came into state as the top seed from the Western B and they defeated Southern B’s fourth seed Huntley Project 66-54 in their opening round game on Thursday.
Florence held a slight 15-11 lead after the first quarter and led 30-25 at halftime. Florence took control in the third quarter as they outscored Huntley 24-13 to take a 54-38 lead into the fourth. Huntley closed the gap in the fourth, but Florence held strong and won 66-54.
For Florence, Ali Meinhold led the scoring with 16 points. Maggie Schneiter had 12, Jaden Fisher had 11, Kendyl Meinhold had 10, Madigan Hurlbert had 7, Taylor Pyette had 5. Emory Ralston and Shelby Crocker each added 2.
Florence 63, Baker 69
In a high-stakes Friday night semifinal, Florence faced off against top-ranked and undefeated Baker. Having lost to Baker by 14 points back in December, the Falcons knew they faced a monumental task.
The first half lived up to the hype, with Baker holding a narrow 41-33 lead at the break. However, the game nearly slipped away in the third quarter as Florence fell behind 53-36. The momentum shifted when three Baker starters landed in foul trouble. Florence pounced, erupting for a 14-0 run to close the gap to 53-50 heading into the fourth. Though Baker regained their composure once their starters returned, the Falcons stayed within striking distance.
With just over a minute remaining, Florence’s Kendyl Meinhold buried a clutch three-pointer to bring the score to 64-61. Florence had opportunities to seize the lead in the final seconds, but they ultimately fell just short, losing 69-63 to the eventual state champions.
“I couldn’t have been more proud of how the girls played against Baker,” said Meinhold. “Our comeback in the 3rd quarter was the most exciting and frustrating experience as a coach. The girls were playing such tough defense flying all over the court, creating turnovers. We did all the right things to take control of the game to only miss crucial foul shots and miss very important lay ups. Through it all, the girls played hard to the last horn.”
Despite the loss, the Falcons showed immense heart by erasing a 17-point deficit. Senior Maggie Schneiter led the way with 14 points—a performance highlighted by her crossing the 1,000-career-point milestone. Also for Florence, Ali Meinhold and Madigan Hurlbert each had 12. Emory Ralston had 10, Kendyl Meinhold had 8, Jaden Fisher had 5, and Taylor Pyette added 2.
Florence 67, Ennis 51
After falling just short of the title game on Friday night, Florence faced the daunting task of a 9 a.m. Saturday morning loser-bracket game against Ennis. Overcoming the disappointment of a semifinal loss is never easy, but the Falcons regrouped quickly and showed they still had plenty of fight left.
Florence jumped out to an early 20-4 lead, and led 26-13 after the first quarter. Ali Meinhold started strong with 14 first-quarter points, including three 3-pointers.
“Our ball movement and execution of shots in the first quarter was a beautiful piece of basketball to watch,” said Meinhold. “The girls were forcing lots of turnovers and playing their hearts out to get into that final game. Very proud of their effort.”
After an even second quarter, Florence led 37-24 at halftime. Ennis chipped away at Florence’s lead of 51-43 after three quarters. The Falcons started the fourth quarter on a 16-4 run and cruised to a hard fought 67-51 victory.
For Florence, Ali Meinhold led the scoring with 23 points. Maggie Schneiter had 16, Emory Ralston had 9, Kendyl Meinhold had 7, and Jaden Fisher had 6. Taylor Pyette, Madigan Hurlbert, and Shelby Crocker each added 2.
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