Play-in game pits Helena against Glacier

by DILLON TABISH/The Daily Inter Lake
| March 5, 2009 1:00 AM

On paper, both teams are nearly identical. On the court, the Glacier girls have the advantage and hope to keep it that way.

The fourth-place Wolfpack square off against fifth-place Helena High in a AA basketball play-in game at 6 tonight at Glacier High. The winner earns a berth to the state tournament in Butte, which begins March 12.

Both teams have identical records, 9-11 overall and 5-7 in conference, but Glacier split Helena in both meetings this season. On Jan. 31, the Wolfpack narrowly lost to Helena 48-45, and then on Feb. 20, Glacier won 67-57 at home.

Since then, the Wolfpack has won three of its last four games and has a shot at getting to the state tournament for the first time in the school's short history.

Senior Emilee Hashley has provided the brunt of Glacier's offense, averaging 13.6 points per game, and had a career-best 30 points against none other than Helena High in the teams' second matchup.

Junior Sidney Sharaf has recently stepped up as the team's go-to guard and netted 9 points against the Bengals recently. Brooke Watkins has found her range in the second half of the season and become one of the team's top outside threats, along with Rachel Cutler and Kadie Latimer.

Lindsea Vaudt is the team's ultimate utility player, matching moments of quick scoring with a strong knack for rebounding. The 5-foot-9 senior averages 5.3 ppg and 5.2 rpg and had a season-high 14 points earlier in the year against Bigfork.

Guards Maddey Frey and Kayla Smart have filled the role of top defenders for the 'Pack, which is ranked third in AA in steals at 12.6 per game. Hashley leads the team with 3.6.

The Bengals come into the game with the sixth best offense, averaging 51.9 ppg. Meanwhile, Glacier sits near the bottom with a 43.3 ppg average.

Monica Grimsrud leads the Helena attack with 10 ppg, followed by Sarah Jackson, 8.8, and Kyndal Williams, 7.1 Grimsrud had a season-high 26 against Butte Central on Feb. 12 and put up 25 in an overtime victory against Flathead on Feb. 21.