SPORTS

SECTION 2:

SPORTS, ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS AND HEALTH

Humility in the mountains pg. 18 Love thy neighbors pg. 26 Recharging after illness pg. 31

Big Horns fall in ‘Battle of 191’ matchup Varsity boys earn first district win

BY GABRIELLE GASSER

BIG SKY – The latest “Battle of 191” contest between rivals Lone Peak High School and West Yellowstone High School put the Wolverines two wins ahead of the hometown Big Horns in the ongoing Class C rivalry.

On the evening of Friday, Jan. 14, the Lady Big Horns took the court first in a fast-paced and tight game.

The Lady Big Horns showed promise in the first quarter keeping the score low and leading 9-7. The Lady Wolverines began to pull ahead in the second quarter scoring 16 points.

Late in the third quarter, a crucial free throw from junior Maddie Cone gave the Lady Big Horns a one-point lead over the Lady Wolverines. Lone Peak fought back in the second half and ended the third quarter down 31-30.

As the scoreboard ticked down in the fourth quarter, junior Kate King added two points from the foul line bringing Lone Peak within five points of West 40-35. Just when the momentum started to swing back to the home team however, a traveling call gave possession back to the Lady Wolverines.

Despite the ref’s ruling, the Lady Big Horns fought hard until the buzzer, and a final score of 45-39 favored the Lady Wolverines.

“We ran the two-on-two zone well and we passed the ball reasonably well,” LPHS Head Coach Loren Bough said of his team’s performance. “We looked for the fast break and ran hard tonight.”

Following the Lady Big Horns, the boys varsity team took the court against the Wolverines.

The Big Horns put up consistent scores each quarter, but the Wolverines slowly drew ahead as they outscored the Big Horns each quarter.

At the end of the first quarter, the Wolverines led 17-10. Big Horn junior Ben Saad contributed a 3-point play, making his free throw after being fouled on a layup.

In the second quarter, the Big Horns drew even with the Wolverines after junior Pierce Farr tied the game at 23 with a layup and free throw. Though the Wolverines pulled ahead again, one second from halftime junior Max Romney, high scorer for the Big Horns with 19 points, sunk a free throw to bring the score up to 27-28 West ahead of the break.

After the half, Lone Peak continued slipping behind, unable to catch up to the Wolverines. The Big Horns wrapped the third quarter trailing the Wolverines by 12 points.

Late in the fourth quarter Big Horn senior John Chadwell hit a shot, the last offensive contribution from the Big Horns as the Wolverines shut them down for the rest of the game.

The final score was 76-50 Wolverines.

LPHS Head Coach John Hannahs said recent games have not gone their way, but he is focusing on a positive attitude with his team.

“Right now, we are concentrating on the small victories and building off them while addressing some areas that are holding us back,” Hannahs wrote in an email to EBS. On Saturday, Jan. 15, the Big Horns hit the road to play the Twin Bridges Falcons. The Lady Big Horns fell to the Lady Falcons 54-39 and the boys lost to the Falcons by 10 points with a final score of 56-46.

On the evening of Jan. 18, only the varsity boys faced off against the Ennis High School mustangs on their home court.

The Big Horns built an early lead bolstered by home court momentum and an aggressive full-court press. Though the Mustangs began to close the gap in the first quarter, junior Big Horn guard Gus Hammond sank two 3-pointers in quick succession to pull ahead.

Lone Peak struggled to deliver on offensive possessions in the second quarter scoring just eight points to Ennis’ 20. Hammond and Romney led the Big Horns’ offense with jumpers and layups respectively.

Ennis’ scoring streak put the Big Horns behind 40-32 at the half.

The Big Horns came out fired up in the third quarter with Hammond sinking a jump shot on the first offensive possession. He had a standout game contributing 34 points to the Big Horns for the evening.

As the third quarter wound down, the Big Horns struggled on the defensive end of the court and missed important rebounds that gave the Mustangs second- and third- chance shots.

Another momentum shift sent the Big Horns into the fourth quarter strong, with a 3-pointer keeping the score close at 50-49 Ennis. Six minutes into the quarter, the score was tied at 54 and play became frenzied with both teams becoming more physical.

Hammond and Saad sank a 3-pointer apiece to keep the Big Horns within two points of the Mustangs as they tried to pull ahead.

With mere seconds on the clock, the Big Horns called a timeout and Hannahs drew up a play for the Big Horns to make a bid to tie the game. As the seconds fell away, the Big Horns had a few unlucky breaks that cost them those vital points.

The Big Horns played with heart for four hard quarters, but those last 20 seconds decided the game and the final score of 71-65 with the Mustangs on top.

“I think we played extremely well the whole game overall, we had our best offensive game of the season, but we didn’t play as well on defense as we usually do,” Hannahs wrote in an email to EBS. “We got some steals out of our pressure, but then forced passes and gave the ball right back. If our offensive momentum continues and we button up the defense I think we can get some district wins this final stretch of the season.”

On the evening of Saturday, Jan. 22, the Big Horns hit the road to play the Sheridan High School Panthers. The varsity boys team notched their first district win of the season with a final score of 47-38. The boys now have a 3-9 record for the season.

The Lady Big Horns also earned a W beating the Lady Panthers 53-31. Their record for the season is now 5-7.

Next up, the Big Horns again travel to play the Manhattan Christian High School Eagles on Thursday, Jan. 27

Junior Maddie Cone shoots over two Lady Wolverine defenders. PHOTO BY RICH ADDICKS

Junior Ben Saad shoots a layup over a Mustang defender. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER