Badgers give themselves 2 wins for Christmas
Photo by TANNA YEOUMANS Holly Ansley goes up for the score during the Badgers’ 48-38 home win over Lincoln County High School of Eureka, Mont., on Saturday, Dec. 22.
Photo by TANNA YEOUMANS The lady Badgers beat the Lions.
Photo by TANNA YEOUMANS The Badgers are on a roll so far this season.
BONNERS FERRY — The Bonners Ferry High School girls’ basketball team started the season strong, winning its first five games. The Badgers then stumbled, losing three of their last four.
The Lady Badgers returned to their winning ways last weekend, beating Lakeland in Rathdrum Friday, Dec. 21, and then beating the visiting Lions from Lincoln County High School in Eureka, Mont., on Saturday December 22.
The Lady Badgers currently have an 8-3 record and will play in the West Valley tournament in Spokane on Dec. 28 and 29. League play will start Friday, Jan. 4, when the Badgers host the Spartans of Priest River. This will also be Badger Camp Shirt Day, and all 2018 camp participants are encouraged to wear their camp shirts for free entry into the games.
Bonners Ferry 45, Lakeland 37
RATHDRUM — Baylee Blackmore had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Holly Ansley also had 11 points along with 5 steals, but it was the defense that led the Badgers to the win over the Lady Hawks in Rathdrum.
Katy Ryan, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, led the Hawks with 14 points.
“Jerzie Pluid did a great job guarding Katy,” said coach Travis Hinthorn. “At 6-1, Jerzie usually doesn’t have a problem with others teams’ height, but Ryan is tall, long and skilled. Jerzie battled and we finally figured out backside help as the game went on to help Jerzie and slow down Katy.”
Along with great defense, Pluid also contributed 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals.
Mackenzie Jackson had her best game of the year, scoring 8 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
“Mackenzie had a great game,” said Hinthorn. “She is a good offensive rebounder and it gives our shooters more confidence knowing that when she is in, we have a better chance of scoring off an offensive rebound on the backside.”
Bonners Ferry 18 9 9 9 — 45
Lakeland 14 2 12 9 — 37
Bonners Ferry: Blackmore 11, Liermann 2, Jackson 8, Pluid 9, Ansley 11, Villelli 4, Pinkerton 0.
Lakeland: Boyer 2, Cooper 3, Kime 0, Cooley 0, McDevitt 0, Elpers 5, Loutzenhiser 2, Kirk 7, Ryan 14, Pruitt 2, Neff 2.
Bonners Ferry 48, Lincoln County (Eureka) 38
BONNERS FERRY — Jerzie Pluid filled up the stat sheet with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks to lead the Lady Badgers over the visiting Lions of Eureka. Holly Ansley scored 12 points and Baylee Blackmore had 8 points and 10 rebounds.
“Maecie Liermann did a great job defensively on (Lincoln County’s) Sienna Utter,” coach Hinthorn said. “Last year she scored 16 on us and this year Maecie held her to 8 points.”
The game was tied at 36 all after the end of the third, but the Badgers outscored the Lions 12-2 in the fourth quarter. Emma Pinkerton hit a clutch baseline shot, and Grace Villelli had a timely assist to Pinkerton late in the game which helped seal the deal for the Lady Badgers.
Lincoln County 5 15 16 2 — 38
Bonners Ferry 4 18 14 12 — 48
Lincoln County: Hawkins 3, Shea 0, Hanson 6, Escobar 5, S. Utter 8, Leonard 0, Graves 11, Frost 0, A. Utter 5.
Bonners Ferry: Blackmore 8, Maas 0, Liermann 3, Jackson 2, Pluid 19, Ansley 12, Villelli 0, Pinkerton 4.