Glacier girls rally by fast-starting Bravettes

We all know Glacier's Cassidy Hashley, a standout 6-foot-1 forward/center, is a solid force inside.

The sophomore is averaging just over 14 points per game, which is third best in Western AA.

But Thursday before a packed house at Flathead High School, she showed great range.

Hashley nailed a pair of second-half 3-point shots to help the Wolfpack (9-4 overall, 4-2 league) rally for a wild 37-33 Western AA girls basketball victory over the Bravettes (6-7, 1-4).

Hashley's first trey with 1:33 left in the third period brought Glacier within two, 26-22.

Her second put the Wolfpack just one back, 29-28, with 6:49 to play.

Glacier took over after that, despite missing 11 straight free throws down the stretch, to pull out a tough road victory.

"Those were big," Flathead coach Karly Tait said of the 3s.

"Give her credit."

Hashley, who was held to two first-half points, wound up with a team-high 12.

Amy Lybeck was next with 11 in a battle where points were not only tough to get, but few and far between.

Flathead did the bulk of its scoring early, rolling out to a 16-5 lead. Glacier missed its first 12 shots.

Glacier, however, slowly worked its way back, finishing up with a 13-point fourth quarter.

"Lack of focus, concentration," Glacier coach Kris Salonen said of her team's poor start.

"We had great looks at the bucket.

"When you get down like that, you have to fight back," she said.

"We were very fortunate to get back in it."

Flathead hit its first four shots, including a trey by Brittany Earnest, and went 3-for-4 from the charity stripe to open the game with a 12-0 run.

Glacier finally slipped within three, 18-15, on four straight free throws by Lybeck with less then four minutes to play in the first half.

Flathead promptly answered and upped the advantage back to five on a base-line drive by Tess Brenneman to close out the first-half scoring.

In a fast-moving third quarter, Glacier narrowed the gap to two heading into the final eight minutes.

Lybeck sank two free throws with 6:31 to play for Glacier's first lead of the contest, 30-29.

Hashley scored from short-range with 5:29 left for a Glacier 32-31 advantage.

The Wolfpack slowly pulled away from there.

Glacier could have put the game away from the free throw line, but four different players couldn't find the bottom of the net. That allowed Flathead to hang around until the final minute.

"We came out ready to play," Tait said.

"We had a great first quarter.

"We knew they would go on a run," she added.

"A couple possessions when they scored and we didn't, that was the difference."

Earnest, who had eight first-quarter points, led all scorers with 14.

Emma Andrews was next for FHS with six.

Flathead was 6-for-8 at the free throw line to Glacier's 10-for-24.

Flathead is back in action Saturday hosting Missoula Hellgate.

Galcier returns to the court Tuesday at Missoula Sentinel.

Glacier 5 12 7 13 - 37

Flathead 16 4 9 4 - 33

GLACIER - Rachel Chery 1 0-4 2, Emily Gilbertson 0 1-2 1, Cassidy Hashley 5 0-0 12, Nicole Heavirland 2 1-2 6, Amy Lybeck 2 7-11 11, Dayna Niebaum 5. Totals: 12 10-24 37.

FLATHEAD - Emma Andrews 2 2-2 6, Tess Brenneman 2 0-0 4, Emily Russell 2 0-0 4, Ashlee O'Dell 1 0-0- 2, Brittany Earnest 5 3-4 14, Cassie Krueger 1 0-0 2, Jenessa Heine 0 1-2 1. Totals: 13 6-8 33.

3-point goals: Hashley (2), Heavirland; Earnest; Team fouls: Glacier 10, Flathead 22; Fouled out: Brenneman.