Horsemen pass hoop test

Consider test No. 1 passed. Now, in very short order, here come test Nos. 2 and 3.

Fresh off a 66-56 win over Charlo in Charlo Friday in their first major test of the season, coach Mike Cole and his 3-0 Plains Horsemen have two more stout tests coming this week, hosting the dangerous 2-3 Thompson Falls Blue Hawks in a non-conference tilt for Sanders County bragging rights Tuesday (results of that game were not available at press time) and then welcoming the undefeated, defending State C champion Arlee Warriors to Plains Thursday.

The game with Arlee will be one of the biggest of the season for Cole and his Horsemen. Let’s not forget that Plains was the last team to defeat Arlee at right about this time in the campaign last year in Arlee.

Coach Zanen Pitts and his Warriors used that stunning 71-67 loss to Plains as motivation the rest of the season and raced to the State C title later last winter. Though a lot of the players have changed out from the two teams since last year, Plains fans would like nothing more than another early Christmas present this time around.

“These are different teams this year,” he said. “We hope to play them tough and see how we match up with them now.”

The victory in Charlo last week was a good one for Plains. “We beat them on the glass,” Cole said. “We turned the ball over more than I would have liked and didn’t finish the game real well, but those are things we can work on. It was still a good win for us.”

Kyle Weeks posted a double-double in leading the Horsemen, scoring 25 points and collecting 11 rebounds, besides dishing out five assists. Matt McCracken added 14 points, Tanner Ovitt 12, Jay VonHeeder eight and Sinjin LaDeaux one. Derick Curry chipped in six points and 13 more rebounds.

Tyson Petticrew scored a game-high 29 points for Charlo and Landers Smith added seven.