Rustlers run by Pony girls

The Havre High girls basketball team has been trying everything it can to get out of this little bit of a slump they have found themselves in, but over the weekend in Great Falls, CMR didn't help matters any.

Saturday in Great Falls, the Central A Blue Ponies took on the No. 3 Class AA CMR Rustlers.

But after both teams got off to a slow start, the Rustlers defeated the Ponies 57-26.

HHS was taking on a very talented, and much bigger CMR squad this weekend. And while the Ponies put up a fight early, they just couldn't keep up with the Rustlers when they got on track.

"It was difficult," Havre High head coach Dustin Kraske said. "We didn't play our best down there by any means, but our kids competed well, defensively in particular. However, on offense we struggled to score, struggled to get open shots and struggled to take the open shots. That will be our focus the next few practices.

"But I am glad we play them," Kraske added. "I am glad they are on our schedule. It is an opportunity for us to improve and to find weakness in what we do. We did that, now we have to get better."

CMR held a 14-5 lead after the first eight minutes, and pushed the deficit to 33-10 at the half. The Ponies did put up 16 in the second half, but the Rustlers kept rolling with 24 points of their own in the last 16 minutes. CMR played hungry, snapping a two-game losing streak with the win over the Ponies.

Utilizing their size, the Rustlers out rebounded the Ponies 44 to 17, but shooting was also key in the loss.

The Ponies were just 7-of-41 from the field and the Rustlers were 23-of-56, but also knocked down seven 3-pointers. The Ponies, who are typically a decent trey ball team, knocked down one. Brandy Lambourne had the lone trey for the Ponies.

"We need to be aggressive scorers all the time," Kraske said. "And we, is everybody, not just a couple of kids. Each kid that is on the floor has to be thinking within our team game to be a scorer."

Jaclyn Evans led the Ponies with eight points. Lambourne and Sammy Evans both scored five each, and Peyton Filius added four.

CMR was led by Hanna Vining, Brandy Kumm and Dondra Denton, all of whom scored 10 points each.

Tuesday the Ponies will be back in action with a short turnaround against the non-conference Malta M-Ettes in Havre. HHS lost to the M-Ette's in the opening game of the season at Malta. So the Ponies will look to return the favor.

It's a critical three-game week for the Blue Ponies, who also travel to Central A rival Lewistown on Friday night before returnign home to face Shelby on Saturday.

CMR 57, Havre High 26

Havre 5 5 10 6 — 26

CMR 14 19 13 11 — 57

Havre — Brandy Lambourne 5, Jaclyn Evans 8, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 1, Sammy Evans 5, Lacey Waid 2, Peyton Filius 4, Neya Bischoff 1. Totals: 7-41 11-16 26.

C.M. Russell —Hannah Vining 10, Kaydee Parsons 6, Lexi Pyette 9, Katelyn Robbins 2, Brandy Kumm 10, Diondra Denton 10, Sara Wier 6, Maddy Watkins 2, Ashley Atchison 2. Totals: 23-56 4-4 57.