Four is enough: Pony girls survive Conrad

A win is a win, and teams will take them anyway they can. But next time around the Havre High girls basketball team would probably like to do so with five players on the court.

Saturday in Conrad the Ponies were able to get back to the win column. The Central A Blue Ponies defeated the Class B Conrad Cowgirls 49-46.

But after a strange series of events, the Ponies played the last 1:30 or so with just four girls on the court. And despite the disadvantage, the Ponies were still able to come from behind and capture the nonconference victory.

"It was weird," Havre High head coach Dustin Kraske said. "It was a pretty strange ordeal. Our kids were really excited naturally and it was a neat deal. For the first time in a long time every kid contributed because everybody played."

The Ponies began the game short handed with Brandy Lambourne sitting out with an injury. But then the Ponies really suffered a set back when Sammy Evans, Jaclyn Evans, Christina Mack and Paighton Gilman all fouled out of the contest.

But with Peyton Filius, Kassala Holdsclaw, Neya Bischoff and Kaylie Gilman still in the game, the Ponies finished the last 1:30 of the game with just four girls, overcoming a four-point deficit in the mean time.

Late in the fourth quarter the Cowgirls led 46-42. But the Ponies battled back. Holdsclaw eventually hit two clutch free throws to tie the game at 46-46, and Filius came up with some heroics of her own. With just seconds remaining, Filius drove to the hole for two points and the foul call. And after hitting the free throw, the Ponies took a 49-46 lead with just over one second to go. Filius then intercepted the ensuing in bounds pass to put the game away and give the Ponies the win.

Like Kraske said, everybody pitched in.

Holdsclaw and Filius led the way with 16 points a piece. Paighton Gilman pitched in seven, and Jaclyn Evans added five. Sammy Evans and Lacey Waid combined for four points, and Bischoff totaled one.

"We talk about the importance of those junior varsity kids in practice," Kraske said. "Because they help contribute to the varsity wins. They were really able to contribute this game, it was a close game and they were able to do some good things down the stretch."

HHS had to come from behind because of a slow second half.

The Ponies took a 17-5 first quarter lead and held a 25-15 lead at the half. But after being outscored 15-10 in the third and 16-14 in the fourth.

Havre 49, Conrad 46

Havre 17 8 10 14 — 49

Conrad 5 10 15 16 — 46

Havre — Jaclyn Evans 5, Kassala Holdsclaw 16, Sammy Evans 2, Lacey Waid 2, Peyton Filius 16, Paighton Gilman 7, Neya Bischoff 1. Totals: 17 13-24.

Conrad — Haley Oraitt 2, Taylor Johnson 11, Erica Grubb 4, Taylor Judisch 8, Morgan VanDyke 5, Rashelle Johns 12, Moranda Brentenson 4. Totals: 15 14-31.