Sports
Lady Big Horns fall to Hornets in home opener
Published
6 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersBy Dan Kelly EBS Contributor
BIG SKY – In their first conference game of the season, the Lady Big Horns lost to White Sulphur Springs by just a single point before a packed gym.
Students, parents and community members were there to cheer the girls on Dec. 15 as they played a close and hard-fought game against the 3-3 Hornets.
Led by Head Coach Ausha Cole, a former point guard at Montana State University, and assistant coaches Jaimey Hayes and Sam Lightbody, there are 10 girls on Lone Peak’s roster this year, with five freshmen joining the squad. EBS will report on the young team’s progress as the season unfolds.
As starters K.P. Hoffman, Jay Cole, Solae Swenson, Emma Flach and Ivy Hicks took the floor, the atmosphere in the gym was upbeat and excited. Senior post Hoffman scored Lone Peak’s first basket, followed by a 3-ball from sophomore guard Flach, but the Hornets edged ahead to an early 10-5 lead. The two teams traded points down the stretch, and as the first quarter drew to a close, the score stood 14-11, White Sulphur Springs’ lead.
The Lady Big Horns pulled ahead early in the second quarter, bolstered by junior post Solae Swenson’s 15-foot jump shot from the baseline. Swenson followed her jumper with a put-back layup on an ensuing possession to give Lone Peak a 15-14 lead. Freshman guard Sarah Wilson added two points to keep the lead at 18-16 with 2:24 on the clock.
Clamping down on their man-to-man defense, the Lady Big Horns held White Sulphur Springs to just five points in the second quarter, all of them scored by Megan Ogle, who led the Hornets with 12 points. Assistant Coach Sam Lightbody said the two teams matched up well and man-to-man defense was working for Lone Peak, but the Lady Big Horns came up short on the boards. “[The Hornets] were a strong rebounding team. They outperformed us on rebounding,” Lightbody said, adding that they’ll be working on defensive footwork and boxing out in upcoming practices.
The two teams traded baskets to open the second half, both squads scrapping for loose balls and hustling up and down the court. With 4:41 remaining in the third quarter, senior guard Jay Cole took a pass from Wilson and made a tough layup on which she was fouled. She converted the free-throw opportunity to give Lone Peak a 23-21 lead.
A long 3-pointer by Flach brought the score 26-23, but the Hornets equalized with a foul shot conversion of their own by second leading scorer, Kendel Jones. As the quarter drew to a close, Cole sunk another 3- pointer in the final seconds to bring the Lady Big Horns within three points of the Hornets.
Shots weren’t falling for either team heading into the fourth quarter, and the Hornets stretched the lead to six points as the game began to draw to a close. Not content to go quietly into the night, Lone Peak battled back with Swenson adding another key baseline jumper and Hoffman duking it out on the low post for the Lady Big Horns’ second foul shot conversion of the night.
With less than a minute left on the clock, the teams were neck and neck, Big Horns trailing 38-37 to the tough team from Meagher County. A series of tactical fouls in the final minute kept the Big Horns battling, but when the final whistle blew, the Hornets escaped with a victory, 38-37. “Our team played really hard and can be proud of their effort. We came up just short in the closing minutes,” Lightbody said.
In other news, it might be a little while until Big Horns fans see Ausha Cole’s face on the sidelines; she had a baby girl on Dec. 18.
The Lady Big Horns’ will play an away game against Shields Valley on Friday, Dec. 22, followed by a Friday, Jan. 5 home game against Twin Bridges, a powerhouse team from the neighboring conference.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
Upcoming Events
march, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
more
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
Time
15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
Location
Verge Theater
Event Details
Area parents are encouraged to bring their young children to Symphony Storytime with a Bassoon which will be presented at the Bozeman Public Library’s Community Room during
more
Event Details
Area parents are encouraged to bring their young children to Symphony Storytime with a Bassoon which will be presented at the Bozeman Public Library’s Community Room during their regular Toddler and Preschool Storytime on Wednesday, March 20, at 10:15 a.m. The free program, presented by the Bozeman Symphony is especially for children ages 3 to 5. Children will be able to listen to Montana Shakespeare in the Parks actor Emma Rather, who will be joined by Bozeman Symphony Bassoonist Sam Macken. The goal of the program is to encourage a love of music, literacy, and discovery. Additional programs are scheduled at the Library on April 10 and June 12. For more information, visit www.bozemansymphony.org or call 406-585-9774.
Time
(Wednesday) 10:15 am - 10:45 am
Location
Bozeman Public Library
626 E. Main St, Bozeman, MT