Hawk boys are ready

Building a 12-3 record this winter, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawk boys suffered one of their worst outings of the season in a 68-61 loss to Loyola in Missoula back in early February.

With the stakes considerably higher this time, coach Jake Mickelson and his Hawks will face Loyola at 1:15 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the Western B divisional tournament.

Since the top three teams from the eight-team divisional tourney will move on to the State B tournament in Billings March 11-13, Mickelson could be excused for hoping that his Hawks will be one of those top three teams. Also excuse him for even daring to think that the Hawks could prove to be the best team in Western B this season.

“We are ready to play, ready for a game,” Mickelson said noting the week off the Hawks just endured in waiting for the tournament. “Our guys are restless and ready to get after it.

“And the teams that are willing to get down and get dirty, to dive for every loose ball and fight for every rebound, those are the teams that succeed at this time of year,” he added.

Hoping to get past Loyola this time, the Hawks would face the winner between Florence and Eureka in the division semifinals Friday if they succeed. In perhaps their best effort of the season, the Hawks ran past Florence 80-71 in Thompson Falls two weeks ago.

On the other side of the bracket, red-hot Bigfork will play Anaconda and Mission will face Deer Lodge in the first round Thursday. Deer Lodge and Florence dueled it out for the District 6B regular season title, with Florence eventually claiming the crown on the final weekend.

Although the Hawks own an 81-75 road win over the Vikings from earlier this season, the Vikes came into Thompson Falls and handed the Hawks a 68-61 loss a few weeks ago to clinch the 7B regular season title. Mickelson would love to see his Hawks avenge that recent loss to Bigfork, hopefully in the Western B chipper.

“Bigfork has not lost a game since we beat them early this season,” he said. “We would like to get another chance at them, especially if it is on Saturday night in the divisional championship.”