Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Lilly Gopher, Box Elder Girls Basketball

During the last few years, the Box Elder girls basketball team has been on a spectacular run. But in 2018, the Bears are hoping to reach new heights and one thing that could help them get there is the outstanding play of Lillian Gopher.

Gopher, a junior for the Bears, played an important role for Box Elder as a freshman back in 2016, when the Bears won the District 9C championship and advanced all the way to the Class C state championship before finishing as a runner-up to Belt.

That season, Gopher just started to show how special she could be. By the time the state tournament rolled around, the she was one of Box Elder's best players and she has remained that way ever since.

Last season, Gopher helped lead Box Elder to a 14-0 regular season within the District 9C. She also helped the Bears win a second straight district championship. But this time, there would be no state tournament for Box Elder. Another loss to Belt, this time in the Northern C semifinals, doomed Box Elder's state title chances. A loss to Fort Benton the next day officially ended Box Elder's season,

"Trying to win the state tournament, that is one of our goals," Gopher said. "But first, we need to focus on taking it one game at a time. We need to focus on winning our conference and working hard every single day. That's what will get us there."

So far that hard work as gotten the Bears pretty far under head coach Joel Rosette. Box Elder is 8-0 overall and 5-0 in district play. They aren't just beating teams, they are blowing them out. Fort Benton, the second-best team in the 9C, lost handily 68-47.

Gopher, who earned All-Conference honors in the past two seasons, also earned Class C All-State honors after scoring 15 points a game and grabbing six rebounds. The stellar play of the junior has caused colleges to show interest.

Gopher's dream is to play college basketball, but she also wants to win championships. She said the district would be tough to win, but that was another one of the team's goals. Box Elder ran the table in district play in 2016-17 and after a 5-0 start, might be ready to do it again.

Of course, Gopher isn't doing this alone. Sophomore Joelnell Momberg is also having a spectacular season. She earned All-State honors in 2017, as did Cecilia Vielle, who transferred to Box Elder from Centerville. In doing so, she gave the Bears three All-State performers to rely on.

"It kind of worked out perfect," Gopher said. "She (Vielle) gives us a really good post to go with our guards, so it has worked out well."

The Bears are going to put their undefeated record on the line this weekend against Hays-Lodge Pole and Turner. But before Box Elder hits the road for Hays Friday night, the Havre Daily News caught up with Gopher for five questions.

HDN: What do you think has been the key to your team's success this season?

Gopher: "The key to our success is hard work. And being able to work a lot with each other, putting in late nights and early mornings together and putting everything out on the floor."

HDN: How was it for your guys welcoming Cecilia Vielle to the team?

Gopher: "We have some chemistry with her. I have been playing with her for the last four years. So we have all just been playing together and making everything work. I have been playing with her in tournaments since I was in eighth grade."

HDN: Has it been your dream to play college basketball?

Gopher: "Yes, I have had that dream since I was a little girl. My grandparents always told me when I was a little girl I was watching all of my family members and people that played. I watched them at divisionals and districts and I said I want to play on that court someday. My grandpa told me that someday I would and that I would do great things and me being a little girl, I didn't know it, but I have been going along trying to follow my dreams. I really want to go to a D1 school. I have been putting in a lot of hours, a lot of work and a lot of sweat to get where I am now, and I am going to keep working towards my goal."

HDN: What would it mean for you guys to win a third straight 9C championship this season?

Gopher: "Honestly, that is one of our goals as well. We want to take care of our conference and take care of our district and so on, so forth. But if we could have another undefeated season in conference that would be a really big accomplishment to me because we have been defending our den and defending our conference the last three years."

HDN: What do you enjoy most about being an athlete in Box Elder?

Gopher: "Being an athlete for Box Elder is great honestly. Playing for this school has opened a lot of opportunities for me in sports and in school and it's just been great."