Hoops roundup: Strong first half carries Glacier boys
HELENA — Jaxon Olsen scored 14 points, Kiefer Spohnhauer added 11 and the Glacier Wolfpack built a 27-16 halftime lead that held up for a 49-41 Western AA boys’ basketball win at Helena Thursday.
Olson scored six points in the second period as the Wolfpack (2-4) built its lead. Weston Price scored Glacier’s other seven points in the period. Spohnhauer’s efforts included a pair of 3-pointers.
Glacier 14 13 12 10 - 49
Helena 10 6 14 11 - 41
GLACIER - Kiefer Spohnhauer 3 3-6 11, Jaxson Olsen 6 2-3 14, Weston Price 3 0-0 7, Will Salonen 2 1-1 6, JT Allen 0 0-0 0, Connor Sullivan 2 0-0 5, Luke Bilau 0 0-0 0, Tyler Hausmann 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 8-12 49.
HELENA HIGH - Catrell Franco 1 0-0 3, Burgin Luker 5 0-0 12, Austin Zeller 0 2-2 2, Evan Barber 3 0-0 6, Kaden Huot 3 2-3 8, Cael Murgel 1 0-0 2, Sam Norwin 4 0-0 8. Totals 17 4-5 41.
3-point goals - Glacier 5 (Spohnhauer 2, Price, Sullivan, Salonen), Capital 3 (Luker 2, Franco). Fouls - Glacier 6, Capital 15. Fouled out - Barber.
Capital 67, Flathead 41
HELENA — The Flathead Braves had two players score in double digits but couldn’t match the Helena Capital Bruins’ offense, losing 67-41 in a Western AA game Thursday.
Gabe Adams scored 17 points and Joston Cripe added 11 for the Braves (3-3). Hunter Hickey and Ezra Epperly each scored four points.
Brayden Koch powered the Bruins (4-2) with 30 points.
Flathead 12 8 12 9 – 41
Helena Capital 11 20 19 17 – 67
FLATHEAD – Gabe Adams 17, Joston Cripe 11, Hunter Hickey 4, Ezra Epperly 4, Gavin Chouinard 3, Ethan VandenBosch 2.
HELENA CAPITAL – Brayden Koch 30, Malachi Syvrud 11, Tyler Tenney 9, Hayden Opitz 7, Luke Dowdy 5, Trysten Mooney 2, Jacob Curry 1.
Libby 60, Troy 20
LIBBY — Caden Williams poured in 12 points for the Libby Loggers as they cruised to a 60-20 win against the Troy Trojans in a nonconference game.
Cy Stevenson added 10 for the Loggers (3-5 overall, 2-4 conference) and TJ Andersen scored eight.
Troy 5 4 8 3 – 20
Libby 18 17 12 13 – 60
TROY – Trevor Grant 2, Paxton Fisher 5, Cody Todd 5, Michael Foote 6, Derek Cole 2.
LIBBY – Ivan Cano 2, Ryder Davis 2, Tyler Anderson 3, Ryan Collins 6, Cy Stevenson 10, Jay Beagle 3, Colton Halvorson 4, Caden Williams 12, Ryker McElmurry 4, TJ Andersen 8, Keilen Rauch 5, Luke DeShazer 1.
Eureka 58,
Stillwater Christian 53
Gavin Bates scored 18 points, including a three-pointer in the fourth quarter, to help Eureka to the nonconference road victory over Stillwater Christian.
Corbin Burst added 11 points for the Lions. Dominic DeMario’s 12 points led the Cougars.
Eureka 13 20 15 10 - 58
Stillwater 12 13 17 11- 53
EUREKA - Gavin Banks 18, Corbin Hurst 11, Danny Dunn 7, Joey Kindel 3, Coltger Casazza 3, Carson Komar 2, TJ Carr 8, Hazen Bohn 6.
STILLWATER CHRISTIAN - Josh Venman 5, Grady Drish 11, Blake Prewitt 7, Luke Frampton 6, Caleb Cole-Tinkham 4, Daniel Shawback 8, Dominic DeMario 12.
Girls
Capital 64, Flathead 43
At the Flathead gym, Mara McGinley hit six 3-pointers on the way to a game-high 18 points as Helena Capital topped the Bravettes in Western AA girls’ basketball action.
Claire Converse scored 14 points and Maddy Moy added 10 for Flathead.
Capital 18 15 18 13 - 64
Flathead 15 7 7 14 - 43
HELENA CAPITAL – Mara McGinley 18, Dani Bartsch 17, Paige Bartsch 15, R. Steacey 7, A. Hofer 5, J. Sherian 2.
FLATHEAD – Maddy Moy 10, Akilah Kubi 8, Clare Converse 14, Tali Miller 4, Molly Winters 2, Avery Chouinard 5.
Eureka 65,
Stillwater Christian 35
EUREKA — Katie Schmidt scored a career-high 26 points for the Eureka Lady Lions in a 65-35 rout of the Stillwater Christian School Cougars in a nonconference game.
Rhianna Hawkins added 13 points and five steals for the Lions (7-3 overall, 4-0 conference). Kyla Bohne only scored three points but had 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
Stillwater Christian 8 5 11 11 – 35
Eureka 12 21 17 13 – 65
STILLWATER – Abby Stillo 1, Zoe Linn 9, Marae Tintzman 3, Madison Morken 10, Sophia Sulzbacher 4, Emma Anderson 2, Belle Schwartz 4, Alex Hudson 2.
EUREKA – Dylan Sharp 6, Michael Shea 6, Kyla Bohne 3, Rhianna Hawkins 13, Katie Schmidt 26, Reena Truman 5, Jadyn Pluid 6.
Whitefish 59,
Browning 42
WHITEFISH — The Whitefish Lady Bulldogs used a good performance at the free-throw line to beat the Browning Lady Indians 59-42 in a Northwest A matchup.
Whitefish shot 18-for-24, or 75 percent from the charity stripe to help its cause against a conference rival.
Two players scored in double digits for the Bulldogs (6-2 overall, 3-1 conference) – Brook Smith with 16 and Gracie Smyley with 11.
Tatum Running Crane paced Browning (3-4, 1-3) with 12 points.
Browning 7 12 10 13 – 42
Whitefish 6 19 17 17 – 59
BROWNING – Arena Matt 7, Mecca Bullchild 8, Mishayla Croff, Walker Running Crane 7, Jerel White Grass, Tatum Running Crane 12.
WHITEFISH – Jadi Walburn 10, Erin Wilde 6, Taylor Means 6, Ashton Ramsey 3, Mikenna Ells 7, Gracie Smyley 11, Brook Smith 16.