Bengals derail Wolfpack's tourney bid
Glacier Wolfpack senior guard/forward Kadie Latimer (13) catches a pass while cutting to the basket against two Helena Bengal defenders. Nate Chute/Daily Inter Lake
Glacier Wolfpack guard Rachel Cutler draws a foul on a drive to the basket against Helena High's Kelsey Williams. Allison Money/Daily Inter Lake
There was no denying Helena High this time.
The Bengals, 10-11 overall, used pressure defense and an aggressive attitude on both ends of the floor to spill Glacier 62-57 on Thursday in a Western AA girls basketball play-in game at Glacier High School.
"We've lost every playoff game for the last three years," Helena coach Cyndie Lockett said.
"All of them on the road. We wanted to turn the tide with Bengal pride. That's what we went with all year long."
Kelsey Williams paced the Bengals with 18 points. Jordan Briski and Monica Grimsrud both finished with 13.
Lindsea Vaudt, who fouled out in the fourth quarter, topped Glacier, 9-12, with 18 points. Emilee Hashley was next with 15 points and 17 rebounds.
Vaudt carried Glacier early, scoring eight first-quarter points. She also had eight points in the final frame to help the Wolfpack battle back.
"I thought she had a super night," Glacier coach Doug Hashley said of Vaudt.
"We moved Lindsea to the high point and she's money from there.
"I thought Emilee had a super night, too," coach Hashley said.
"She battled through a lot of double teams."
Helena High tied the game for a final time at 29-all on a fastbreak basket by Grimsrud with 55 seconds left in the opening half. Sarah Jackson's field goal to open the third period gave the Bengals the lead for good. It also ignited an 8-2 run for the visitors.
Helena High led by eight, 54-46, when Glacier made its final run.
A trey by Sydney Sharaf trimmed the deficit to four, 58-54, with 49 seconds showing, but that was also as close as the Wolfpack would get.
"The intensity I think was double what it was the last two times we played them," Lockett said.
"(We) knew everything was on the line."
Helena had great success with its press, keeping Glacier from getting into any offensive rhythm.
"We wanted to try to fluster their guards," Lockett said.
"Still they (Wolfpack) battled. They hit big shots. They weren't gonna quit."
Lockett said her players at halftime "decided they wanted to go all out, full court, man-to-man."
The press also led to some easy baskets off turnovers for the Bengals.
"It's disappointing," coach Hashley said.
"I wanted it for the girls, to take the next step to the state tournament. The way we have been playing, I thought we would be going to state."
Hashley said the Bengals turned in a stellar effort.
"They were very aggresive," he said.
"They did a good job with the press."
"It's a bummer we're not going, but where we're going in the future is huge."
Helena High 18 11 13 20 - 62
Glacier 17 12 7 21 - 57
HELENA HIGH - Kelli Hubley 2-5 0-0 4, Jordan Briski 5-6 3-5 13, Kelsey Williams 5-12 8-9 18, Mariah Shein 1-3 0-2 2, Sarah Jackson 2-6 0-0 5, Kyndal Williams 1-4 0-0 2, Monica Grimsrud 4-11 5-8 13, Taylor Kanthack 2-7 1-2 5. Totals: 22-54 17-26 62.
GLACIER - Maddey Frey 0-1 0-0 0, Kadie Latimer 1-6 1-4 3, Sydney Sharaf 2-7 2-3 7, Rachel Cutler 3-4 0-0 6, Lindsea Vaudt 6-11 6-6 18, Emilee Hashley 6-11 3-4 15, Brooke Watkins 2-9 2-4 8. Totals: 20-49 14-21 57.
3-point goals: Jackson; Sharaf, Watkins (2); Team fouls: Helena High 19, Glacier 21; Fouled out: Vaudt.