Glacier girls push Helena, bow out of Western AA

The Glacier Wolfpack made a push at the end of their Western AA girls basketball loser-out game Friday morning, but the Helena Bengals held on for a 54-50 victory.

With Alex Bullock scoring 15 points and snaring 13 rebounds, Helena made an early lead stand up at the Flathead gym — though the Wolfpack got the gap to four points several times in the fourth quarter.

Reese Ramey scored 15 points to lead the Pack, which put three players in double figures but ended up 2-18.

“I’m proud of how hard my girls battled today,” Glacie coach Amanda Cram said. “It’s heartbreaking when their hard work doesn’t pay off with a win.

“This season has been about growth in both confidence and team basketball. I feel fortunate to work with such coachable kids, and look forward to the future.”

The Pack played just one senior, Colette Daniels, this season. Ramey is a sophomore; Sarah Downs, who had 10 points and seven rebounds, is a junior; Cazzland Rankosky, who hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 points, is a sophomore.

Helena (12-8) advanced to another 9:30 a.m. game on Saturday, against either Flathead or Sentinel. The winner of that gets earns a berth at next week’s State AA tournament, while also advancing to the consolation game at 3:30 p.m.

Helena 16 17 9 12 - 54

Glacier 10 11 12 17 - 50

HELENA — Logan Todorovich 2 0-2 5, Avery Kraft 0 4-6 4, Alex Bullock 6 3-5 15, Lauren Heuiser 1 0-0 2, Ashley Koenig 2 0-0 4, Maloree English 2 0-1 5, Madi Todorovich 0 1-4 1, McKenna Morris 3 0-0 9, Kylee Gardipee 4 1-3 9. Totals 20 9-21 54.

GLACIER — Sarah Downs 3 4-8 10, Kenedee Moore 0 0-0 0, Noah Fincher 2 1-3 5, Reese Ramey 3 9-14 15, Cazzland Rankosky 4 0-1 12, Haven Speer 1 0-0 3, Colette Daniels 0 0-0 0, Bailey Gable 0 0-0 0, Karly Allen 2 0-2 5, Jaidyn Pevey 0 0-0 0, Charlotte Osler 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 14-28 50.

3-point goals — Helena 5 (Morris 3, English, L.Todorovich), Glacier 6 (Rankosky 4, Supper, Allen). Rebounds — Helena 38 (Bullock 13), Glacier 25 (Downs 7). Fouls — Helena 23, Glacier 21. Blocks — Helena 1 (Heuiser), Glacier 2 (Downs, Ramey). Steals — Helena 6 (2 with 2), Glacier 14 (Downs 5). Turnovers — Helena 21, Glacier 16.

Butte 67, Capital 59 OT

Sophomore Brityn Stewart poured in 36 points to help Butte stay alive in overtime against the Bruins.

The point total is reportedly the second-highest in Butte girls basketball history; Lexi Nelson scored 39 in a 2010 game. Stewart, who also grabbed 10 rebounds, scored nine points in the fourth quarter as they Bulldogs forced OT; she added five free throws in the last 4 minutes.

Meanwhile eighth-grader Caden Graham added 15 points for Butte, and is now 17-for-18 at the line in two Western AA games.

Gracy Mockel scored 17 points and had nine rebounds for the Bruins, who ended up 13-7.

Butte is 6-14 and will play either Hellgate or Big Sky Saturday morning at 11 in the Flathead gym, with a State AA berth on the line.

Butte 5 15 17 12 18 - 67

Capital 14 9 11 15 10 - 59

BUTTE — Brooke Groesbeck 0 3-4 3, Emmarie Richards 2 0-2 5, Laura Rosenlieaf 2 3-5 7, Brityn Stewart 11 11-12 36, Caden Graham 2 9-10 15, Dylanna Bartoletti 0 1-4 1, Catherine Sholey 0 0-0 0, Payton Clary 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 27-37 67.

HELENA CAPITAL — Gracie Mockel 5 6-6 17, Jada Clarkson 5 3-5 13, Kathryn Emmert 3 0-0 7, Megan Swanson 2 2-6 6, Kayla Almquist 1 2-2 5, Anna Cockhill 0 0-0 0, Taylor Sayers 3 1-2 7, Abby Bignell 0 0-0 0, Brooklyn Brisco 2 0-0 4. Totals 21 14-21 59.

3-point goals — Butte 6 (Stewart 3, Graham 2, Richards), Capital 3 (Emmert, Almquist, Mockel). Rebounds — Butte 37 (Stewart 10), Capital 39 (Sayers 13). Fouls — Butte 17, Capital 24. Fouled out — Rosenleaf, Emmert, Cockhill). Blocks — Butte 4 (Richards 3, Graham), Capital 2 Mockel, Clockhill). Steals — Butte 7 (Rosenleaf 32), Capital 4 (2 with 2). Turnovers — Butte 9, Capital 8.