Beeters cruise to the semis

The Chinook girls basketball team is on a mission to get to this year’s District 9C championship game and, thanks to an impressive opening-round performance Thursday, the Sugarbeeters look well on their way.

Chinook, which finished second in the final District 9C standings, added another victory to their win total as the Beeters demolished Hays-Lodge Pole 83-14 Thursday inside the HHS gymnasium.

“I thought overall that we played really well,” Chinook head coach Molli Rose said. “I thought that we did a good job of playing together and communicating. We just went out there and no matter what the score was, we just went out there and did our jobs both offensively and defensively.”

Chinook came flying out of the gates and opened the game on a 32-6 run that gave the Beeters a 26-point advantage at the end of the first quarter. And after outscoring the Thunderbirds 28-3 in the second quarter, the Beeters held a 60-9 lead at the intermission.

With the game in hand and the mercy rule in effect, the Beeters got a lot of their players time on the floor in the second half and even with the second-stringers out there, Chinook still dominated. The Beeters outscored HLP 23-5 in the second half and when it was all said and done, the Beeters had 10 of their 12 players score.

“Those kinds of games are hard because these kids want to be out on the floor,” Rose said. “But I thought that all of the girls that we played tonight did a good job. They all worked well together.”

Brook Nicholson had an outstanding game for the Beeters, leading the team and all scorers in the contest with 22 points. The senior was 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Kelsey Mathon also had a stellar outing in the win for the Chinook, going 6-for-6 from the field and scoring 14 points.

Maxine Plain Feather was the top scorer for HLP (1-18) with five points. The T-Birds will turn around and play Turner this morning in loser-out action.

Chinook (18-2), on the other hand, will be looking to wrap up a spot in the Northern C Divisional. The Beeters got third at the 9C tournament last year and can clinch a finish of second or better with a win over Fort Benton tonight.

Rose said that because her team didn’t win the district title or even play for the 9C title last year, her team will be plenty motivated to knock off the Longhorns tonight inside the HHS gymnasium.

“That’s the goal,” Rose said of getting to divisionals. “We had some girls that have played there before and we want to get back. It’s going to take us sticking together and playing well together on both offense and defense.”

The Beeters and Longhorns will meet tonight at 5:30 with the winner meeting either Box Elder or North Star in Saturday night’s championship game.

Chinook 83, Hays-Lodge Pole 14

HLP 6 3 3 2 - 14

Chinook 32 28 13 10 - 83

HLP - Kiara Shambo 3, Maxine Plain Feather 5, Rayleigh Kirkdale 2, Tahlia Wek 2. Totals: 4-33.

Chinook - Kourtney Hanson 2, Carrie Hofer 5, Abi Ellison 10, Brooke Nicholson 22, Sierra Swank 2, Kelsey Mathon 14, Taylor Neibauer 7, Erin Pula 5, Brooke Elliot 7, Nicole McCracken 9.

3-Pointers: Chinook 7, HLP 1: (Nicholson 4, Elliot, Ellison, Neibauer, Plain Feather Fouls - HLP 16, Chinook 6. Fouled out -- none.