The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The Harlem Wildcats and Turner Tornadoes began 2019 with a pair of wins to improve to 6-2 on the season. The Wildcats defeated the Chinook Sugarbeeters on Thursday 73-68 and then toppled District 2B foe, Glasgow 78-34 on Saturday. The Tornadoes began the new year with a 67-42 win over the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds and then followed with a 58-42 win over the Chinook Sugarbeeters.

Thursday in Harlem senior Skylee Dirden scored the first points of the contest to give Harlem an early 2-0 lead. Senior Ashley MacLeod answered for the 'Beeters taking a pass from senior Rachel Gunderson and scoring.

Freshman Taya Trottier scored back-to-back baskets off assists from Dirden to give Harlem a 6-2 lead.

Sophomore Melony Fetter scored off an offensive rebound and junior L'Tia Lawrence connected twice from the charity stripe to help Harlem open up a 10-2 advantage early.

Dirden scored again off an assist from Trottier leading to a 'Beeter timeout. After the timeout a Trottier steal led to another layup from Dirden. The Sugarbeeters got a basket from senior Kourtney Hanson to stop the Wildcat run.

Dirden scored twice more off assists from Trottier and a Harlem 18-4 lead. Hanson scored again for the Sugarbeeters and senior Megan Molyneaux knocked down a triple to keep Chinook within ten, 19-9. Gunderson would score at the end up the quarter for Chinook and Harlem took an eight point lead into the second quarter.

Lawrence began the scoring in the second with a layup and Gunderson answered with a basket off an assist from sophomore Ginger Hauer.

Junior Kristyn Kittson knocked down a triple for the Wildcats, Dirden followed with another layup and Trottier sank one from beyond the arc as well to help Harlem extend their lead to 29-13.

Sophomore Lily Surber answered back for the Sugarbeeters with a triple of her own but Lawrence would score twice more to give Harlem a 33-16 lead.

Freshman Allison Powell scored a pair of baskets for the Sugarbeeters late in the half but the Wildcats maintained a 41-20 advantage after two quarters of action.

Lawrence added seven more in the third quarter and Fetter would score twice for Harlem as they built a 58-31 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Lawrence connected again from long range to begin the fourth quarter and added seven more in the stanza, leading to a 73-48 Wildcat win.

Lawrence finished the contest with 23 points while Dirden netted 19 and Trottier 15. Kittson and Fetter each scored seven in the win.

The Sugarbeeters were paced on the night by Hanson with 14 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. Surber added eight and Hauer six.

Saturday in Glasgow the Harlem girls were looking to get off to a fast start as they stepped back into District 2B play with a contest in Glasgow against the Scotties.

Harlem scorched the nets for 28 first quarter points while holding the Scotties to just nine. Dirden scored 12 in the first eight minutes of action while Lawrence scored seven.

Harlem didn't let off the gas in the second quarter putting 20 more on the board to take a 48-17 halftime lead. Fetter drained a pair from beyond the arc and Lawrence scored six in stanza.

The Wildcats would extend their lead to 64-26 entering the fourth quarter and cruised to a 74-34 win.

Lawrence again led the way for the Wildcats with 20 points in the win. Dirden added 16, Trottier 12 and Fetter 11.

Friday night in Turner the girls welcomed the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds to town in District 9C match up.

Senior Rylee Conlan found sophomore Shyan Krass on the low block for a bucket and a early 8-4 Tornado lead. Sophomore Brooke Reed converted 1-2 from the free throw line to put the Tornadoes on top 9-4 late in the first quarter.

Junior Muleeah Stiffarm scored for the Thunderbirds to bring Hays/L.P. within three but Reed would finish the quarter with a bucket off a great pass from junior Sarah Billmayer to put Turner on top 11-6.

Raegan Conlan began the second by going hard to the basket and drawing the foul to get an opportunity at the charity stripe. Following her free throw, Raegan then buried a long three to extend the Tornado advantage to 16-6.

Reed added another score and the Tornado offense began to find their rhythm with a 19-6 advantage.

Krass later scored twice off offensive rebounds and Reed again found her mark pushing the Tornado lead to 28-12.

Billmayer opened the second with a nice drive for an easy score and added another layup moments later. She then found Krass for a bucket as the halftime horn sounded, sending the teams to the locker room with Turner on top 37-14.

Watkins, Billmayer, Krass and Raegan Conlan all scored early in the third quarter to help the Tornadoes take a 51-20 lead and cruise to a 67-42 win over the Thunderbirds.

Krass led the Tornado effort with 22 points while Billmayer and Reed each added 13. Raegan Conlan finished with 10 in the win.

The Thunderbirds were paced by the 28 point effort from Stiffarm, including five from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter.

Saturday in Chinook the Tornadoes and Sugarbeeters found themselves in a defensive struggle early as neither team could seem to find the basket.

Billmayer scored the first point of the game at the free throw line and Hanson recorded the first basket for a 2-1 Chinook lead. Raegan Conlan knocked down a triple and Lily Surber answered with a basket of her own to even the score at 4-4 half way through the first quarter. Turner would take a 7-5 lead into the second quarter after a free throw from Brandy Calvert.

Billmayer began the second with a bucket and then converted both attempts at the line to push the Tornado lead to 12-5.

Gunderson and Hanson would answer for the 'Beeters to trim the deficit to 12-8 only to see Watkins and Krass score twice more. Senior Ashley MacLeod hit one from beyond the arc to bring the 'Beeters within four but Krass again answered with an offensive rebound bucket to push the lead back to seven at the break 23-16.

Turner found its rhythm offensively coming out of halftime and ran the court well.

Billmayer converted a three point play and Krass added another offensive rebound score for the Tornadoes.

Conlan scored off an offensive rebound and Billmayer converted a pair of steals into points leading to a bucket from Rylee Conlan and a 41-20 Turner lead.

The Tornadoes closed out the third quarter with a triple from Rylee Conlan and basket at the buzzer from Billmayer for a 48-24 lead.

Krass extended the lead to 50-24 to begin the fourth. Hauer would finish the game strong for the Sugarbeeters, knocking down a pair of three pointers and scoring eight points down the stretch to help Chinook close the gap some on a 58-42 Turner win.

Billmayer finished with 15 for Turner, including 12 in the third quarter. Krass added 14 and Raegan Conlan 12 in the Tornado win.

Chinook was paced by Hauer's 12 points and MacLeod's eight.

girls Basketball

Harlem 73 Chinook 48

Chinook 11 9 11 17 — 48

Harlem 19 22 17 15 — 73

Chinook: Megan Molyneaux 1 0-0 3, Ginger Hauer 3 0-1 6, Kourtney Hanson 7 0-0 14, Delaney Kellam 1 0-0 2, Ashley MacLeod 2 1-2 5, Lily Surber 3 0-0 8, Lincy Johnson 1 0-0 2, Rachel Gunderson 2 0-0 4, Allison Powell 2 0-0 4. Team Totals 22 1-3 48.

Harlem: Kristyn Kittson 3 0-0 7, MacKenzie Doney 1 0-0 2, Skylee Dirden 9 1-1 19, Melonie Fetter 3 0-0 7, L’Tia Lawrence 7 8-9 23, Taya Trottier 7 0-0 15, Taeshon Scheaffer 0 0-0 0, Gabi Bell 0 0-0 0, Alaynee Hawley 0 0-0 0, Tamica Cole 0 0-0 0, Aria Owens 0 0-0 0, Shontelle Talks Different 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 30 9-10 73.

Three Point Field Goals: Chinook 3 (Surber 2, Molyneaux 1), Harlem 4 (Kittson 1, Fetter 1, Lawrence 1, Trottier 1); Team Fouls: Chinook 9, Harlem 9; Fouled Out: None

Turner 67 Hays/Lodge Pole 42

Hays/Lodge Pole 6 8 8 20 — 42

Turner 11 26 16 14 — 67

Hays/Lodge Pole: Tahtianna Whitecow-Morgan 1 0-0 2, Kassi Perez 1 0-0 2, Sierra Chandler 1 0-0 2, Lakota Pretty Paint 1 0-0 2, Latasha Kirkaldie 1 0-0 2, Justice Werk 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Chandler 2 0-0 4, Mulleeah Stiffarm 10 3-5 28, Tahlia Werk 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 17 3-5 42.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 3 3-4 10, Sarah Billmayer 6 1-2 13, Dakota Krass 0 0-1 0, Rylee Conlan 2 0-0 4, Melanie Watkins 0 1-2 1, Brandy Calvert 0 0-0 0, Laci Maloney 1 0-0 2, Brooke Reed 6 1-2 13, Shyan Krass 10 2-2 22, Lacey Hickel 1 0-0 2. Team Totals 29 8-13 67.

Three Point Field Goals: Hays/L.P. 5 (Stiffarm 5), Turner 1 (Raegan Conlan 1); Team Fouls: Hays/L.P. 13, Turner 10; Fouled Out: None

Harlem 78 Glasgow 34

Harlem 28 20 16 10 — 74

Glasgow 9 8 9 8 — 34

Harlem: Kristyn Kittson 0 0-0 0, MacKenzie Doney 1 0-0 2, Skylee Dirden 5 5-9 16, Melonie Fetter 4 0-0 11, L’Tia Lawrence 6 7-9 20, Taya Trottier 6 0-0 12, Taeshon Scheaffer 2 0-0 6, Gabi Bell 0 0-0 0, Alaynee Hawley 0 0-0 0, Tamica Cole 0 0-0 0, Aria Owens 2 0-0 4, Shontelle Talks Different 1 0-0 3. Team Totals 27 12-18 74.

Glasgow: Anika Peters 3 1-4 8, Keeley Fossum 4 0-0 8, Tyann Graham 1 0-0 2, Tenya Campbell 2 2-4 6, Rachelle Glaser 0 0-0 0, Laura Ross 0 0-0 0, Abrianiana Nielsen 0 1-2 1, Josie Kolstad 1 1-3 3, Taylor Pederson 1 0-1 2. Team Totals. 14 5-14 34.

Three Point Field Goals: Harlem 8 (Fetter 3, Scheaffer 2, Dirden 1, Lawrence 1, Talks Different 1), Glasgow 1 (Peters 1); Team Fouls: Harlem 17, Glasgow 13; Fouled Out: None

Turner 58 Chinook 42

Turner 7 16 25 10 — 58

Chinook 5 11 8 18 — 42

Turner: Raegan Conlan 4 2-4 12, Sarah Billmayer 5 5-6 15, Dakota Krass 0 0-0 0, Rylee Conlan 1 0-0 2, Melanie Watkins 2 0-0 4, Brandy Calvert 2 3-4 7, Laci Maloney 1 0-0 2, Brooke Reed 1 0-0 2, Shyan Krass 6 2-2 14, Lacey Hickel 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 22 12-16 58.

Chinook: Megan Molyneaux 1 0-0 2, Ginger Hauer 4 2-4 12, Kourtney Hanson 2 1-4 5, Delaney Kellam 1 0-0 2, Ashley MacLeod 3 0-0 8, Lily Surber 2 0-0 4, Lincy Johnson 0 0-0 0, Rachel Gunderson 1 2-4 4, Allison Powell 2 1-2 5. Team Totals 16 6-14 42.

Wildcat sophomore Melony Fetter looks to attack the basket during Harlem's 73-48 win over Chinook.

Three Point Field Goals: Turner 2 (Raegan Conlan 2), Chinook 4 (Ashley MacLeod 2, Ginger Hauer 2); Team Fouls: Turner 11, Chinook 17; Fouled Out: None

Fort Benton 62 Hays/Lodge Pole 20

Hays/Lodge Pole 3 7 5 5 — 20

Fort Benton 24 16 16 6 — 62

Hays/Lodge Pole: Tahtianna Whitecow-Morgan 2, Kassi Perez 4, Sierra Chandler 0, Lakota Pretty Paint 0, Sheraya Boushie 0, Latasha Kirkaldie 3, Justice Werk 0, Jaedyn Chandler 4, Mulleeah Stiffarm 7, Tahlia Werk 0. Team Totals N/A.

Fort Benton: Cassie Nack 2, McKenzie Clark 5, Ashlee Wang 4, Aspen Giese 22, Abby Clark 9, Sam Vielleux 0, Maci Molinario 2, Megan Clark 1, Cloe Kalanick 0, Hadley Cook 0, Leah Gannon 17, McKenna Hanford 0. Team Totals N/A.

Three Point Field Goals: Hays/L.P. N/A, Fort Benton N/A; Team Fouls: Hays/L.P. N/A, Fort Benton N/A; Fouled Out: N/A