Sweep: Pony girls crush Rangers, Panthers

The Havre High girls basketball team has certainly found the friendly confines of the HHS gymnasium to its liking. And the good vibes at home continued this weekend.

Friday and Saturday the Ponies played two Central A Conference games at the Havre high Gymnasium. Friday, Havre defeated the Livingston Rangers 64-25 and Saturday the Ponies defeated the conference rival Belgrade Panthers 57-37. The consecutive lopsided victories proved that HHS is still the program to beat in the Central A after back-to-back regular season and divisional tournament champions.

“It was a total team effort both nights and the girls did a nice job,” Havre High head coach Dustin Kraske said. “We are totally pleased going into the break and we know we need to win these games at home if we want to win the league. We can’t sit any better at, 2-0 I guess, and we can still get better going into the break."

During Friday’s win, the Ponies played their best game of the season by far, dominating play on offense and defense.

The Ponies put the game away right out of the gate with a 16-3 first-quarter lead. The barrage of points only increased from there as the Ponies pressure defense turned into Ranger turnovers and HHS points in transition. The Ponies posted 19 points in the second quarter and 21 more in the third quarter as everything the Ponies did turned into easy layups and wide open jump shots.

Livingston turned the ball over 17 times, including 12 times in the first two quarters. The result was seven Ponies getting in on the scoring action, paced by Peyton Filius with 20 points. Filius went off in the third quarter with two of her three 3-pointers and 12 points. HHS turned the ball over just seven times, getting past the Ranger defense with ease.

Haley Ohm finished with 11 points, while Lacey Waid scored eight and Brandy Lambourne and Tori Mazurkiewicz finished with seven each. Dani Wagner came off the bench in the second quarter and grabbed four quick points, finishing with six.

“I was totally pleased,” Kraske said. “Defensively, our kids communicated very well, and offensively they moved the ball side to side and found open shots. We played together very well and I was very pleased with our efforts.”

The Havre defense also held an offense that proved it could put up points to next to nothing. Megan Schoenen is averaging 13 points per game this year for Livingston but was held to just six. Alyssa Bergsing was held to just six points.

“I would like to think our defense had something to do with that,” Kraske said. “The kids were just on it all game long, and it was quite a thing to watch.”

Saturday afternoon brought another win for the Ponies, but they didn’t quite play at the same dominating level as Friday. It is tough to nitpick a 20-point win, but the contest started as an 8-8 tie through the first quarter and just a 24-18 lead for the Ponies at the break. It wasn’t until Lambourne sparked the Pony efforts late in the third quarter that Havre was able to take full control and run away with the win.

With 1:44 left in the third, Lambourne helped get the Ponies over their sluggish start. The defensive pressure really picked up for the Ponies and, soon after, HHS looked like the team that took the floor the night before. The Ponies started scoring in transition, and Lambourne helped lead an 8-2 run to close the quarter. Lambourne scored six points in the final 1:44 of the third.

And the good play rolled over into the final frame as the Ponies outscored the Panthers 16-5.

“I don’t think we were ready to go mentally,” Kraske said. “And I don’t think the coaching was the greatest tonight either. We were non-rhythmic offensively and I think that drove us a little crazy. And our kids had glimpses of playing together, but I think we were trying to force it. I thought the last couple minutes of the third quarter and the whole fourth quarter we were in it again. Defensively, we were up where we needed to be, we were playing hard and playing together. But when you get a couple easy buckets you feel better about yourself as a team.”

Lambourne led the Ponies with 16 points, while Morgan Mazurkiewicz followed with 12, and Filius had a good outing with nine. Ohm also had eight and Wagner had six to also help lead the way.

Havre will enter the holiday break with a 3-1 record overall and a 2-0 record in the Central A. Havre visits Great Falls High Jan. 3 and hosts Malta Jan. 4.

Havre 64, Livingston 25

Livingston 3 6 10 6 - 25

Havre 16 19 21 8 - 64

Livingston – Sierra Higgs 3, Megan Schoenen 6, Hailey Peterson 2, Meadow Ingram 4, Mariel Kelley 1, Sabrina Durnez 3, Alyssa Bergsing 6. Totals: 9 6-13.

Havre – Brandy Lambourne 7, Dani Warner 6, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 3, Lacey Waid 8, Peyton Filius 20, Tori Mazurkiewicz 7, Haley Ohm 11. Totals: 25 4-9.

Total fouls – Livingston 14, Havre 15. Fouled out – None. Three pointers – Higgs 1, Brandy Lambourne 2, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 1, Peyton Filius 4.

Havre 57, Belgrade 37

Belgrade 8 10 14 5 - 37

Havre 8 16 17 16 - 57

Belgrade – Kindall Bethe 10, Alexis Clingingsmith 8, Veronica Floyd 2, Ashley Koenia 1, Erin Singleton 6, Tanna Holiday 2, Shaylee Ragar 2, Jamie Woolman 6. Totals: 13 11-20.

Havre – Brandy Lambourne 16, Dani Wagner 6, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 12, Lacey Waid 3, Peyton Filius 9, Tori Mazurkiewicz 3, Haley Ohm 8. Totals: 20 15-28.

Total fouls – Belgrade 16, Havre 19. Fouled out – None. Three pointers – Morgan Mazurkiewicz 1, Peyton Filius 1.