Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
Living for the big games and loving it when they come around, the Thompson Falls Lady Hawks played two more important ones last week.
Not for lack of trying, coach Chadd Laws and his steadily improving Lady Hawks lost two very tough Western B games last week, falling 58-48 to Loyola in Missoula Thursday and dropping a dramatic 57-55 double-overtime decision to Eureka in Thompson Falls Saturday.
And the big games keep coming. On this week’s hot-hoop menu are important District 7B road contests with the Lady Bulldogs in Mission Thursday and with the Valkyries in Bigfork Saturday.
Laws is loving every minute of it, win or lose this season. The Hawks are now 3-3 in a very competitive District 7B race, and an impressive 12-4 overall. The Lady Hawks were ranked No. 8 among all Montana Class B teams in the most recent power poll.
“I can’t say enough about these girls and how hard they are working,” he said. “We played two great games last week and have nothing to be ashamed of from either one.
“We fell way behind in both games but kept battling back,” he added, “and I think our fans played a big role in both comebacks. The support we have had this season has been incredible, and the girls really feed on that.”
By all reports, Saturday’s game with Eureka was over the top as far as fan support goes. And the fans were treated to possibly one of the best games ever played at TFHS.
“It was electric in there,” Laws said of the loud and proud Blue Hawk gym. “Our girls’ will to overcome is pretty impressive, and the crowd really got behind us. Jody (Detlaff) hit two free throws with like 10 seconds left to get us into the first overtime.
“We didn’t play badly after that, but Eureka made some big plays including a few clutch threes and managed to hold us off.”
Ellie Baxter scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Hawks, Belle Cooper punched in with 13, Detlaff 11, Megan Baxter eight and Riley Wilson and Faith Frields two each.
Megan Hanson and Jayden Pluid scored 12 points apiece for Eureka, Maggie Graves eight and Michael Shea seven.
The Lady Hawks started out slow against Loyola in Missoula last Thursday, but made a game of it in the end, closing to within 48-46 in the final two minutes before falling back to the defeat.
Megan Baxter put in 23 points to pace the Hawks in Missoula, Detlaff added 14, Ellie Baxter five, Frields three, Elli Pardee two and Wilson one.
Playing without Lani Walker and Sam Clevenger, the No. 1 ranked and undefeated to this point Breakers were led by Nat Clevenger with 19 points, Syd Koppang with 14 a
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