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

The Turner Tornado girls basketball team has experienced plenty of success recently but graduation and transfers have left the team with just seven girls on the roster. That doesn't mean they should be counted out though because these seven girls can play.

Returning to the Tornadoes this season are junior Dakota Krass, sophomores Hannah Richman and Katie Kimmel, freshman Meridian King-Snider, Modesty Chamberlain and Cassidy Grabofsky. Eighth grader Bridget Reed rounds out the roster. Julie Welsh returns as Head Coach of the Turner Tornado Girls team and is assisted once again by Darci Ammen.

Senior Laci Maloney has been a huge contributor to the Tornadoes the past four years but medical issues with her legs will keep her sidelined for the season. Maloney will still be an asset to the team as Manager.

Welsh has experienced it all during her time as Tornado Head Coach, the highs and the lows and she knows how to prepare her team, "Practice has been going very well, we have been doing a lot of changing of roles with having three starting seniors graduate, we are rebuilding in several areas. Doing lots of shooting, dribbling and foot work drills."

This years squad doesn't include a senior but it does have a player getting set to begin her fourth varsity season and Welsh will lean on her for leadership, "I am looking to Dakota Krass to be a leader on the floor due to her age and previous years experience. She is a great shooter and is very strong inside and outside the paint. I also think Cassidy Grabofsky is going to help in that role as well and she is a terrific shooter and plays great defense."

Being so young and with limited players, more is to be expected at a earlier stage, "Meridian Snider is a young and quick guard that is going to be great on defense and scoring. Hannah Richman had several minutes last year and does very well under the basket and can score as well. Katie Kimmel is going to be our toughest rebounder and I look for her to grow more confident each game and begin to score regularly."

Turner will play start to finish as hard as anyone, what the result will be? Welsh has an idea, "My expectations for the season is to grow this team together with the talent of some of our young players I think our season will be fun and exciting to watch them grow and become smarter basketball players. Bridget Reed is coming off of a very impressive showing as an eighth grader and is going to be a huge asset to our team both as a scorer and on the defensive end. We know we will have to work hard this season with a much smaller team, but these girls have shown me they want to work hard and get better at each practice."

If the Class C Showcase in Glasgow this past weekend is any indication, the Tornadoes will be OK. Turner picked up a 41-33 win Friday night against the Luster Christian Lions. Krass and Grabofsky each tallied 14 points in the contest to lead the Tornadoes to victory. King-Snider added seven of her own to the Tornado effort.

Saturday the girls had no trouble dispatching the Frazer Bearcubs. Grabofsky scored eight first quarter points, Snider six and Krass five propelling Turner to an early 19-6 lead.

The Tornadoes built on the lead in the second quarter outscoring the Bearcubs 9-4 to lead 28-10 at intermission. Turner coasted the second half scoring 14 in both the third and fourth quarters to secure a 56-40 win to improve to 2-0 on the season. Krass led the Tornadoes with 20 points in the win while Grabofsky finished with 16 points on the night, Kimmel added eight of her own in the win.

The Tornadoes will next take the court in Fort Benton on December 17 where they will take on the Longhorns. Turner will play in front of the hometown fans for the first time in the new season on December 18 when the Chester/Joplin-Inverness Hawks will come to town. Dodson will visit Turner on December 20 in a non conference tilt.

The Tornadoes will close out 2021 with a trip west to Box Elder to take on the Bears. They will return to the court for the first time in 2022 on January 7 when they will travel to Hays to challenge the Thunderbirds.

The Tornadoes will then hit the road for games in Chinook January 8, Big Sandy January 14, North Star January 15. Turner will return home to face the Fort Benton Longhorns on February 21 before hitting the road for a couple more road contest. The Tornadoes will visit Chester on January 22 to play the Hawks and Dodson January 28 for the rematch with the Coyotes.

The Tornadoes will finish their regular season with five straight home contest beginning with Box Elder January 29, the Box Hays/Lodge Pole February 4, Chinook February 5, Big Sandy February 11 and North Star February 12.

The District 9C Tournament will once again take place in Havre at the Blue Pony Gymnasium. The tournament will run from February 16-19. The top three teams will advance to the Northern C Divisional in Great Falls, February 23-26 at the Four Seasons Arena. The top two teams will then advance to the State Class C Boys & Girls State Tournament in Bozeman, March 9-12.