Girls' Basketball: CMR Rustlers earn spot at state meet

BILLINGS – Senior guard Taylor Edwards scored 32 points and Lindsay Martinez had some huge moments down the stretch as the C.M. Russell High girls' basketball team edged Billings Skyview 69-66 in double overtime Thursday night in an Eastern AA playoff game.

The Rustlers of coach Brian Crosby thus earned a berth in next week's State AA tournament, which tips off Thursday in Butte.

"I witnessed it and I don't believe it," said Crosby, whose team rallied from a 16-point deficit in the first half. "I almost blacked out a few times because it was all so unbelievable, really."

The Rustlers, 9-12 on the season, defeated Skyview for the second time in three meetings this year and avenged a 10-point loss to the Falcons at CMR Fieldhouse less than two weeks ago.

Briana Easton scored 10 points and Martinez added 11. The latter swished two free throws with 1.6 seconds left in regulation to tie it, then scored four points in the second overtime as the Rustlers prevailed.

Edwards got off to a bit of a slow start, but heated up in the second quarter as CMR rallied back into contention. She scored 22 points in the second half and overtimes.

The State AA appearance will be CMR's first in three seasons.

The Rustlers won despite being in serious foul trouble. Easton and Cailey Froehle both fouled out in regulation, and Edwards and Martinez both had four when the game ended.

"It was a war of attrition," said Crosby, in his second season as head coach. "Our kids have showed heart all year and this was another example of it.

"We've come so far in two years. This one from a program standpoint is nice. But it was more important for our seniors. Especially Taylor. She's been a varsity player for three years and hasn't made it to State. She wanted this badly. She's the kind of kid who doesn't care about personal accolades; she cares about getting her team to the state tournament. And that was what was important."