Senior girls find life lessons in two rough seasons
By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
Four minutes into his senior night game, Lone Peak High School’s Ebe Grabow had drained a 3-pointer and knocked down a pair of free throws. He extended his early scoring to seven points when junior point guard Ryan Malinowski lobbed an alley-oop and Grabow stunned the crowd with a two-hand dunk.
“You know, I kind of shocked myself. I had a phenomenal pass from my boy Ryan Malinowski,” Grabow said after the game, noting that they’d attempted it—without much success—in practice, but game-day adrenaline seemed to do the trick. “And I was up there and I just put it down, and I was hyped.”
Head coach Al Malinowski said the alley-oop came on a typical in-bounds play, but one that usually ends with a layup.
“I’ve never seen those two run it like that before,” coach Malinowski said, laughing. “… I had to call a timeout, just because I wanted us to enjoy the moment—but I also wanted our guys to kind of calm down from it and refocus.
“But it was a pretty special play, and I’m glad he was able to do that on senior night.”
GALLERY BY JACK REANEY
The Lone Peak High School boys won their final home game of the season on Friday, Feb. 13, leading the entire game despite a late surge by the visitors from Whitehall High School, who cut the deficit to four points in the final minute. Then, Grabow stepped up and knocked down his free throws to ice the final score at 57-50. The team’s only senior led the scoring with 24 points.
Grabow said it feels great to wrap up a four-year LPHS basketball career, not long before he dedicates himself to Division I football at Montana State. For now, he’s the single winningest player in LPHS basketball history, among other milestones.
“To just see how the program’s changed: everyone’s become a real tight knit group and it’s great to see how basketball is thriving here,” Grabow said.
He said “it’s everyone’s goal” to earn Lone Peak’s debut in the Class B state tournament, building on a Class C tournament debut in Grabow’s freshman year.
In the three years since, Grabow has led by example as the only remaining player with experience from the unexpected 2023 state tournament run.
“Ebe brings an incredible amount of confidence to the team,” coach Malinowski said. Grabow believes the Big Horns can win any game, according to Malinowski. “And he’s taught some of the guys that are younger than him to believe in that.”
Beyond winning, Malinowski said Grabow has taught young players Ryan Malinowski, freshman Jens Biggerstaff and sophomore Steen Mitchell to believe in their ability to make an impact. “Showing [them], hey, you can help us as a freshman. I did it, you can do it.”
Building depth has been the goal this season, and Malinowski is proud of the progression he’s seen from the team’s younger players who have stepped into meaningful roles. Now, the focus can shift to setting up matchups.
“They’re all bringing things to the team now,” Malinowski said. “So we’re trying to figure out the right fit, based on the opponent that we’re playing.”
The Big Horns have competed in every game this season, but they need to improve decision-making skills to prevent late-game surges by opponents, coach Malinowski said. Free throw shooting could be better, although he credits the team for taking fouls and earning opportunities in the first place.
Grabow and Malinowski agree they need to move the ball on offense.
“I think we just need to work on moving the ball more and stop isolating ourselves, and play more as a team,” Grabow said. “And I think we can have a shot.”
Lone Peak has two games left, both on the road against Ennis and Jefferson high schools. Then it’s off to the District 5B tournament, where the top three teams advance. After the Big Horns reached earned their first Class B district tournament win in 2025, coach Malinowski hopes to see another strong playoff showing.
If Lone Peak finishes in the top three at districts, they will advance to their first divisional tournament at the Class B level—a feat they fell one game shy of in 2025.
“I really think this is going to be a tournament where… everybody’s got a chance to beat anybody else,” Malinowski said.
‘Just play your hardest’: Girls celebrate three seniors
The Lone Peak girls have faced another rough season, losing all their games since the home opener on Dec. 6. Last season, the Big Horns lost all of their regular season games before ending a 15-month drought with a tournament win.
The team has played with only five or six players for most of the season. Parents and even seventh-grade boys have volunteered to help with practices, scrimmaging and running drills to allow the Big Horns to practice five-on-five.
Head coach Jessica Bedway is pleased to see her team sticking with it and making an effort.
“They’ve come into every game trying their best to get that win,” Bedway said.
She praised her three seniors for setting a good example.
“All three of them have stuck with it for four years, and stuck with it this year when… we had the option of not having a team, and they decided they wanted to play.”
Seniors Maddie Wilcynski, Lauren Jackson and Harper Morris emphasized the importance of working hard.
Wilcynski has always focused on giving her all, every game, and the complete effort was on display Friday night as she led the team with 18 points. For younger players rising into the LPHS girls basketball program, she hopes they learn from her work ethic.
“Don’t stop, even if you have not enough girls to play or you just think it’s going to be a rough season,” Wilcynski said. “Just play your hardest, something good is going to come of it, always.”
Jackson has been playing for five years, and said it’s surreal to play her final game in the Lone Peak gymnasium.
“I’m sad it’s over, but movin’ on,” she said.
Morris said while it’s been a rough season, it’s bittersweet to play her final home game, especially with her teammate since kindergarten in Wilcynski. She stuck with it her senior year, with hopes that younger players will build resilience.
“I just hope that they see that no matter how many players you have, you can still go out and fight,” Morris said. “… It’s all about effort and if you give it your all, you’re going to be okay—and that kind of goes for life, too.”
Bedway hopes to see more players get involved with the team next year, as three of six players will graduate.
“We’ll only have three people left,” Bedway said. “So hopefully there will be more interest.”
If local girls are concerned about joining a team without many recent victories, Big Horn seniors have demonstrated the importance of seeing beyond the win-loss record.
“I just love my teammates more than anything,” Wilcynski said. “Just being out there with them makes it all worth it. I don’t care about the score, I don’t care about anything else. Just being out there with a group of girls is the most fun part.”
