The Hays Lodge/Pole Thunderbirds were in Gildford Friday night to take on the North Star Knights in a huge District 9C Conference clash for both teams. The Knights would come back late to defeat the Thunderbirds in a heart breaker 53-49. Saturday the girls traveled west to Big Sandy looking to even their conference mark at 1-1 against the Pioneers. Hays/Lodge Pole did just that, soaring to a 51-36 to improve their overall record to 4-1 on the season.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds brought a perfect 3-0 record into their District 9C opener against the Knights Friday Knight. The 9C Girls race looks to be extremely competitive and each game against top tier teams is huge. Both the Knights and the Thunderbirds expect to be playing Saturday night in February at the District Tournament.

The Thunderbirds started strong and took their game to the Knights right from the opening tip. Hays/Lodge Pole opened up a 15-12 lead heading into the second quarter. Head Coach Corey Morgan had his team focused and they built on their lead, pushing their advantage to seven 34-27 by halftime.

The Knights responded in the second half with a huge third quarter effort outscoring the Thunderbirds 13-5 to take a one point lead 40-39 into the fourth quarter. Unable to slow the Knights momentum the Thunderbirds suffered their first loss of the season, 53-49.

Sophomore Alliya Pretty Point scored 14, junior Nashone Shambo added 12 and senior Jaedyn Chandler 10 in the loss.

Saturday in Big Sandy the Thunderbirds got off to a bit of a sluggish start. Pretty Paint connected on a three ball and scored five first quarter points but the teams entered the second quarter tied at 10-10. Chandler scored eight second quarter points, matching the Big Sandy total to help the Thunderbirds take a 22-18 advantage into the halftime locker room.

Chandler kept up the hot hand in the second half to power the Thunderbird offense. Chandler added a deep ball and seven points in the third quarter to give the Thunderbirds a nine point lead, 36-27 heading into the fourth quarter.

Chandler connected again from downtown added three buckets inside and connected on her final four attempts from the charity stripe scoring thirteen of the teams final fifteen points and securing a 51-37 win for the Thunderbirds.

Chandler led all scorers with 28 points in the contest, including 20 in the second half. Pretty Paint added 13 markers to help the Thunderbirds improve to 1-1 in District 9C play and 4-1 overall.

The Thunderbirds concluded 2021 in Fort Benton on Monday in another big game for the Thunderbirds. Hays/ Lodge Pole is certainly a contender this year in the 9C and face their three toughest competitors at the start of the conference season. Tuesday the Thunderbirds were in Chinook for a big game with the Sugarbeeters. Results from both those contest will be in next weeks Blaine County Journal.

The Thunderbirds will return to the court January 7 when they will host the Turner Tornadoes in their home opener. The Chester/Joplin-Inverness Hawks will be in town the following night.