Seconds count

A few extra seconds made all the difference.

The Lady Hawks dropped a pair of games in the District 1B-7B Shootout in Eureka last week, falling 42-41 to Choteau Friday when some unauthorized extra time allowed the Bulldogs to pull out the last-second win, and then losing to Conrad 72-43 Saturday.

Although there were only six seconds remaining with the Lady Hawks leading Choteau 41-40 Friday when the Lady Bulldogs inbounded the ball, those six seconds somehow turned into more like 13 and the ‘Dogs scored at the buzzer to pull out the win.

“We have looked at tape of the game, there were like seven seconds before the timekeeper finally turned on the clock,” Thompson Falls coach Doree Thilmony said. “We felt like we won that game everywhere but on the scoreboard.”

Although the loss was a bitter pill to swallow, Thilmony said her team still took away some positives from it.

“It was a great experience for our girls to be in a down-to-the-wire finish like that, to go through the lead changes at the end,” she said. “And it showed us some things that we need to work on as well. Things like our transition defense and working on reducing the number of turnovers we commit.”

Megan Baxter had a fine weekend in leading the Lady Hawks both nights in Eureka, posting 17 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots against Choteau, and following that effort up with 15 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and two blocks versus Conrad.

Sarah Detlaff added 10 points and nine rebounds against Choteau, Jody Detlaff seven points and nine boards, Maya Stiles three points, two rebounds and two steals, Faith Frields two points and three steals and Elli Pardee two points and three rebounds.

Anna Jamison led Choteau with 13 points, Christine Funk scored 11 and Whitney Durocher nine.

Riley Wilson had four rebounds and Trinity Godfrey a rebound and a blocked shot.

Jody Detlaff scored 12 points and pulled down four rebounds against Conrad, Stiles had 11 points and four boards, Frields four points, Sarah Detlaff one point, six rebounds and two assists, and Wilson three rebounds and two assists.

The Lady Hawks have only one game on tap this week, hosting Florence Friday. The Falcons are considered one of the best teams in the Western B heading into the meat of the schedule.

“The girls are excited about this game,” Thilmony said. “We think we can play with Florence and are eager to show that.”