Heat girls lose 2 tough games

PABLO – The ones that get away make you play harder the next time you get a chance.

The Hot Springs Savage Heat girls, after a disastrous second quarter led to a 57-38 victory for St. Regis in the first round Thursday, dropped a loser out game to Plains 52-41 Saturday and completed season play at the District 14C tournament in Pablo.

After defeating St. Regis twice in the regular season, coach Richard Jackson and his still-young Savage Heat were hoping for bigger and better things in Pablo.

“I guess it wasn’t meant to be this season,” Jackson said. “Obviously we thought we would do better in our game with St. Regis, we had had a real good week of practice coming in, but it just didn’t work out too well for us. And (St. Regis senior Emma) Hill killed us, she was really hitting from the outside.”

The second quarter was the killing time for Hot Springs’ hopes as St. Regis won those eight minutes 17-2 to take a 26-11 lead into halftime. Try as they might, the Heat just could not quite fight their way back into contention after that.

Hill eventually dropped 20 points on the Heat to lead St. Regis to the win and Madison Kelly added 14.

Freshman sensation Katelyn Christensen led Hot Springs with 21 points, McKennzie Cannon and Brianna Gray added seven each, and Sydney Jackson and Lizzy Fisher two apiece.

The Savage Heat girls’ season ended with a 52-41 loss to Plains in loser-out play Saturday morning.

Sydney Jackson scored 11 points to lead the Heat in that game, Christensen added eight, Sage Jackson six, Cannon four and Fisher and Danielle Graham two apiece.

Coach Jackson thinks the untimely losses will only make the Heat better next season.

“The girls are already zoned in for next season,” he said. “To the last person we are committed to getting better and will be working hard in the off-season. We feel like we got embarrassed a little last week and want to make amends for it next year.

“District 14C was one of the toughest girls’ districts in the state this season,” he added. “We feel like we are getting better every season and look to continue improving next year.”