State A girls’ basketball roundup

HAMILTON – The only thing tougher than Darrelyn Left Hand was Dani Wagner’s left hand.

Wagner and teammate Morgan Mazurkiewicz combined for 48 points to help defending champion Havre hold off Hardin 64-54 Thursday, at the State A girls’ basketball tournament.

And while Mazurkiewicz’ 19 of 21 performance on free throws and 26 points were crucial, it was Wagner that wheeled inside for a three-point play that gave the Blue Ponies (17-4) the lead for good.

Up 54-51, Havre got a couple stops against the stubborn Bulldogs and stretched the gap with free throws. The champs hit 31 of 40 overall, and 17 of 21 over the final 6:25 of the game.

The Blue Ponies will take on the Hamilton Broncs in a rematch of last year’s title game at 8 p.m. on Dale Berry Court. Hamilton downed Frenchtown 60-42 earlier Thursday.

“It’s going to be a crazy, fun environment,” said Mazurkiewicz.

The other semifinal, at 6:30 p.m., will pit Butte Central against Billings Central. The Maroons shocked Columbia Falls 49-47 on Sierra Pica’s put-back with five seconds left. In the first afternoon game, Billing Central edged Lewistown 42-41.

Havre 64, Hardin 54

The Blue Ponies showed moxie with a 13-2 third-quarter surge after falling behind 34-28, and then answered each Hardin thrust from there.

For all of the heroics of Mazurkiewicz and Wagner, Hardin still rallied from deficits of 41-36 and 51-47. Left Hand, who scored 23 points, started the Bulldogs back in the third quarter with a 3-point play at 1:41 of the third quarter, cutting the Blue Ponies’ lead to 41-39.

When Havre’s triple-teams started taking effect – Left Hand scored twice early in the fourth but then went quiet – Hardin got boosts Aubrey Meiwald, Jael Birdinground, Shakoya Fredericks and Chelsea Pretty Paint, who all scored late.

“Darrelyn’s going to do what she does, and we did have some other girls step up and hit shots when we were down – and when we were ahead for a time,” said Hardin coach Cindy Farmer. “That was a positive.

“We just missed some defensive assignments, and -- it’s tough.”

Left Hand’s 3-pointer to start the second half gave Hardin its biggest lead, at 34-28. Wagner hit a 3-pointer in Havre’s ensuing surge, which end with Mazurkiewicz making a steal and hitting two free throws.

It was 41-36 at 1:56 of the third quarter. The Blue Ponies cashed in at the line from there.

“Lots of confidence and knowing you’re going to make it every time,” Mazurkiewicz said.

Evanna Wallace added 12 for the Bulldogs. Noami Terry chipped in 13 for Havre.

Hardin (12-10) will take on Frenchtown (13-8) at 2 p.m. Friday, in a loser-out.

“They’re a very good team,” Farmer said. “We just need to learn from this, wipe it clean and be ready to play tomorrow.”

Hamilton 60, Frenchtown 42

The Battle of the Broncs was all Hamilton in the first half – the tournament hosts led 31-13 at intermission – and the fourth quarter.

Taylor Goligoski scored 12 of her 15 points by intermission and Jaylee Albert hit 3-pointers to end the third quarter and start the fourth as Hamilton (16-6) kept Frenchtown at bay.

It did get a little tight: Goligoski, a University of Montana signee for basketball and softball, picked up her third foul at 4:49 of the third quarter.

That signaled the start of a run of 14 straight points by Frenchtown. Haley Cyr scored eight of them, and Allie Moe’s coast-to-coast drive cut the gap to 38-31 at the 2:08 mark.

This wasn’t unexpected, Hamilton coach Mark Albert said. Good teams make runs, and he felt he’d left his starters in too long.

“Then I had to sub for them and subbed too many,” he said. “That was my fault.

“Jaylee came up with some big threes and Kali Hayes took it to the hole a couple times. And we rebounded better than we had all year long. That made a huge difference.”

Jaylee Albert’s three made it 43-33 at the end of the third quarter, and she hit another to put her team up 46-35 with 6:26 left in the game. That sparked a 15-2 Hamilton surge; Goligoski hit two free throws with 2:00 remaining to make it 58-37.

Albert had eight rebounds, helping Hamilton to a 27-24 edge on the boards. The hosts lost their center, Ellie Hurlburt, to a torn ACL in the Southwestern A Divisional title game.

Alivia Williams, Cyr and Lacey Hochhalter all had 10 points for Frenchtown (13-10), which shot 41 percent compared to Hamilton’s 51.

“I always know we can score,” Mark Albert said. “I’m more worried about how are we going to stop them.”

Billings Central 42, Lewistown 41

The Rams had a few things fall their way while claiming their third win this season over Lewistown.

An ankle injury shelved Lewistown sharpshooter Tara Olson early in the second quarter, for starters. Morgan Lucas blocked the potential game-winner by the Eagles’ Maria Henderson as time wound down.

In between, Skyler Rockwell hit a 3-pointer with 3:22 left to give the Rams (11-11) a 40-39 lead. It was the third and final lead change, to go with four ties. Central then hung on despite missing five straight free throws in the final 2:23 of the game.

All of which made it tougher for the Golden Eagles to stomach.

“But we had ‘em,” said Lewistown coach Deena Wier. “Twenty seconds left, down by one. The kids played hard… we just couldn’t catch a break.”

A surge-filled first half – the Rams opened up a 12-4 lead, only to see Lewistown answer with a 19-1 run – set up a tight second.

The Eagles seemed to be in control when Carlee Carpenter made a steal that led to two Jaree Mane free throws with 1:39 left in the first half. That put the Eagles up 23-13; Carpenter scored eight of her nine points in Lewistown’s surge.

The Rams stemmed the momentum a bit with a steal and layup from Ellie Hanser – cutting the gap to 23-17 at the halftime buzzer – and then opened the second half on a 13-4 surge.

Mane hit a 3-pointer to close the third quarter, and Sydney Wier’s jumper to open the fourth put Lewistown up 35-30. Mane, who had 13 points, hit a 15-footer to make it 37-34 with 6:30 left.

She didn’t score again, and was denied the ball on Lewistown’s final two possessions.

They came after the Rams ran four corners up 42-39, drew fouls and repeatedly couldn’t cash in. In the end Henderson tried a 15-footer that Lucas, who had 15 points, deflected. Lucas ended up with the ball as time ran out.

“There’s no doubt that was a defensive win,” Rams’ coach Levi Osborne said. “I feel confident pulling the ball out with 2:30 left, not because we’re going to make or miss free throws, but because I know we can defend.

“That blocked shot was text book. She had a great close-out, put her hand up … that was a great defensive stand altogether.”

Butte Central 49, Columbia Falls 47

The Wildkats seemed on the verge of taking control, leading 33-25 late in the third quarter and 44-38 on Peyton Kehr’s 3-pointer with 4:15 left in the game.

The Maroons worked back with a pressure man-to-man. Kloie Thatcher and Mollie Peoples combined on seven steals, and a theft by Peoples set up Emily St. John for a basket and a 45-44 Butte Central lead with 2:34 left.

Columbia Falls went back up on Winter Kemppainen’s basket with 2:24 remaining, but she soon fouled out. St. John’s step-through basket tied the game at 47-all with 35 seconds left; after the Wildkats threw the ball away against the press, St. John took a shot at the lead.

She missed, but Pica was there to pick up the change.

Pica had six points. St. John had 10, Peoples had a team-high 13 and Ryan Trudnowski scored 11.

Kemppainen’s 15 points and six rebounds left the Wildkats.