Hellgate taps Bravettes
<p>Flathead’s Jessica Simmons (center) is fouled by Missoula Hellgate defenders Darby Henthorn (3) and Sydney Riddle (right) as Simmons drives to the basket during the second quarter at Flathead on Saturday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Flathead’s Kylee Meredith (10) dribbles around Missoula Hellgate’s Darby Henthorn during Saturday’s Western AA girls basketball game at Flathead High School. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Playing on tired legs after a draining crosstown loss to Glacier on Thursday, the Flathead girls struggled to make shots from all over the court against visiting Missoula Hellgate on their way to a 48-23 Western AA basketball loss on Saturday.
The Bravettes opened the game shooting 5-for-34 (15 percent) from the field and scored just 13 points through three quarters.
Hellgate held a double-digit lead for all but seven minutes of the game, riding a tough defense that forced 18 turnovers.
“We played tired,” Flathead coach Lisa Hendrickson said.
“We were feeling sore and tired and that’s how we played.
“Everything was a little off. Everybody was a step slow and shots were short.
“Hellgate played a great game,” she added.
“They played hard defensively and they outrebounded us. We were a little slow.”
Hellgate started the game strong from behind the arc, hitting three 3-pointers to jump out to a 12-2 lead. The Knights opened the second quarter on a 12-2 run, holding Flathead to 0-10 from the field in the first seven minutes of the frame.
Flathead made just one field goal in the third quarter and fell behind by 28 points with 4:53 to play, before making a rally to close the game.
Jessica Simmons was a bright point for the Bravettes, with a team-high 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
Lexi Duce had a game-high 16 points for Hellgate.
“She’s a rock for us,” Hendrickson said of Simmons.
“She does a lot of different things for us. She’s a senior so she has a lot of experience. She creates energy for us. She’s relentless on defense, she’s our second leading rebounder, she’s just a great leader for us. We just have to follow her.”
The Bravettes have some time to rest up. They head to Helena on Friday for a conference back-to-back against Helena High on Friday and Capital on Saturday.
Hellgate 12 14 10 12 — 48
Flathead 4 6 3 10 — 23
MISSOULA HELLGATE — Darby Henthorn 2-3 0-0 5, Lexi Duce 7-9 0-0 16, Kule McWilliams 2-8 1-2 5, Katie Stahl 2-4 0-0 5, Kara Hogan 0-5 0-0 0, Claire Hinther 1-3 0-0 2, Kaci Paffhausen 1-3 0-0 2, Sydney Riddle 5-9 0-0 10, Madi Hamilton 1-3 1-1 3. Totals 21-47 2-3 48.
FLATHEAD — Kylee Meredith 1-12 0-0 2, Janae Moon 0-4 0-0 0, Stephanie Wilson 1-5 0-0 2, Jessica Simmons 6-9 1-2 13, Taryn Gutierez 0-1 0-0 0, Sophie Asa 0-2 1-2 1, Sierra Siblerud 0-1 0-0 0, Mary Heaton 1-4 1-2 3, Lauren Clark 0-2 0-0 0, Tiana Johnson 1-13 0-0 2. Totals 10-53 3-6 23.
3-point goals — Hellgate 4-8 (Henthorn 1-1, Duce 2-2, Stahl 1-2), Flathead 0-14. Rebounds — Hellgate 26 (Duce 6), Flathead 24 (Simmons 8). Assists — Hellgate 6 (Henthorn, Hogan, Paffhausen 2), Flathead 5 (Meredith 3). Blocks — Hellgate 0, Flathead 3 (Simmons 2). Steals — Hellgate 17 (Henthorn 3), Flathead 20 (Meredith 3). Total fouls — Hellgate 10, Flathead 12. Fouled out — Flathead, Moon.