TURNER TAKES A TROPHY

The Turner girls basketball team has been building something special the past few seasons and the District 9C consolation game Saturday night at the HHS gymnasium, was the culmination of it.

Turner was looking to clinch its first berth at divisionals in 21 years, but it wouldn't come easy as the third-place game in the girls tournament went down to the last second, literally. But after two missed free throws and another missed shot at the buzzer by CJI, the Tornadoes won 36-35, clinching a berth in the Northern C Divisional Tournament for the first time since 1997.

"It means the world," Turner head coach Jennifer Baird said. "We have been talking about this since day one. We knew when we came in, we had an opportunity. The last three years these kids have been working. All summer long they are constantly in the gym together and we knew it was only a matter of time and they were able to pull it out this year."

Like a championship bout, Turner and CJI battled back-and-forth for four quarters and neither team was able to build a lead of more than seven points. When it was all said and done, there would be seven lead changes. The Hawks built a two-point lead at halftime 21-19, but the Tornadoes outscored the Hawks 9-5 in the third, giving Turner a 28-25 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Yet CJI senior Kendahl Knapton wrapped up a 5-0 run with a steal and a 3-point play that gave the Hawks a 30-28 edge. In response, Turner scored six straight points. The first four came from Sarah Billmayer, who scored a game-high 17 points in the win. The other hoop came from Shyan Krass, who finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, as well as three blocks.

The run put Turner up 36-32, but Khloe Kammerzell kept CJI in it with a 3-pointer that got the Hawks back within one with less than 30 seconds remaining. Turner missed a free throw on its next possession and CJI's Korrin Harmon drew a foul. However, she missed both free throws, then the Hawks missed another shot after an offensive rebound, allowing Turner to hold on for the historic, one-point victory.

"Our girls really dug deep," Baird said. "We get ourselves back into a corner, but they dug deep and found a way. A little luck always goes with it. CJI had an opportunity with some free throws and a rebound and they weren't able to convert on it, which is my mind is lucky for us. But still, our kids worked their butts off."

While Billmayer and Krass both reached double figures for Turner, CJI had only Knapton, who scored 14 points in the loss. She also added six rebounds, three assists and two steals. CJI finished the season 14-8. Turner heads to the Northern C Divisional with an overall record of 14-8.

Turner's run to Great Falls was possible with a rebound win against North Star on Saturday morning. The Tornadoes led 15-9 early, and while the Knights fought hard, Turner's defense played a key role in the 53-46 loser-out win, the win that gave the Tornadoes the chance they were seeking to reach the Northern C.

Raegan Conlan and Shyan Krass combined for 38 points for the Tornadoes, while Paij Peterson scored 22 for the Knights.

In Saturday's other loser-out game, CJI thrashed Chinook 59-37 to reach the consolation game. Khole Kammerzell led three Hawks in double digits with 14 points, while Sierra Swank scored 20 for the Sugarbeeters.

Friday's loser-out games saw Chinook win a thriller over Hays-Lodge Pole. The Thunderbirds had beaten the Beeters twice, by one point each, this season, but on Friday, Chinook returned the favor with 46-45 win. Swank and Megan Molyneaux each scored 11 points for Chinook, while Ella Messerly poured in 18 points for the T-Birds.

In the other loser-out game Friday morning, North Star took care of Big Sandy, 64-24. The Knights jumped out to a 10-2 lead and never looked back as Chelsea Donaldson, Kate Hansen and Kenidee Wolery each scored 12 points. Lainey Gregory paced the Pioneers with eight points in the loss.

Turner 36, CJI 35 (3rd)

CJI 11 9 5 10 -- 35

Turner 7 12 9 8 -- 36

CJI - Kendahl Knapton 13, Korrin Harmon 4, Samantha May 5, Khloe Kammerzell 8, Peyton Hawks 5. Totals 14 5-11 35.

Turner - Raegan Conlan 3, Sarah Billmayer 17, Melanie Watkins 4, Shyan Krass 12. Totals 15 6-9 36.

3-pointers: K. Kammerzell 1, P. Hawks 1. Fouls: Turner 14, CJI 12. Fouled out -- Melanie Watkins.

CJI 59, Chinook 37 (lo)

CJI 12 4 20 23 -- 59

Chinook 4 8 9 16 -- 37

Chester-Joplin-Inverness -- Tatum Hull 2, Kendahl Knapton 13, Korrin Harmon 12, Kayona Fraser 5, Samantha May 4, Khloe Kammerzell 14, Jasmine Cole 3, Peyton Hawks 6. Totals: 20-39 16-28 59

Chinook -- Sierra Swank 20, Carrie Hofer 1, Kourtney Hanson 5, Ashley MacLeod 3, Erin Pula 2, Lily Surber 2, Lincy Johnson 3, Rachel Gunderson 1. Totals: 13-57 9-18 37.

3-pointers -- Knapton, Harmon, Kammerzell; MacLeod, Johnson.

Turner 53, North Star 46 (lo)

North Star 6 9 14 17 -- 46

Turner 15 8 14 16 -- 53

North Star -- Kate Hansen 10, Kenidee Wolery 2, Paij Peterson 22, Lily Pederson 2, Katelin Harvey 1, Chelsea Donalson 5, Peytan King 4. Totals: 16-55 11-17 46.

Turner -- Paegan Conlan 21, Sarah Billmayer 10, Melanie Watlins 3, Brandy Calvert 2, Shyan Krass 17. Totals: 11-30 27-46 53.

3-pointers -- Hansen 2, Donaldson; Conlan 4.

Box Elder 67, CJI 27 (semifinal)

BE 20 13 19 15 - 67

CJI 9 5 10 3 - 27

Box Elder - Sarah Parisian 3, Nikayla Anderson 6, Eve The Boy 4, Maia Henderson 2, Maddie Wolf Chief 3, Lillian Gopher 14, Joelnell Momberg 14, Brittany Lafromboise 2, Cecilia Vielle 19. Totals: 27-59 11-19 67.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness - Kendahl Knapton 5, Korrin Harmon 7, Samantha May 1, Jasmine Cole 5, Peyton Hawks 8. Totals: 9-39 4-8 28.

3-pointers - Parisian, Gopher; Knapton, Harmon, Cole, Hawks 2.

Fort Benton 64, Turner 42 (semifinal)

Turner 18 5 11 8 - 42

FB 11 17 13 23 - 64

Turner - Raegan Conlan 4, Sarah Billmeyer 13, Rylee Conlan 2, Malanie Watkins 9, Shyan Krass 14. Totals: 17-43 5-12 42

Fort Benton - Cassie Nack 4, McKenzie Clark 13, Aspen Giese 20, Abby Clark 6, Maci Molinaro 3, Leah Gannon 7, McKenna Hanford 11. Totals: 21-52 19-28 64

3-pointers - Ra. Conlan, Billmayer, Watkins; M. Clark, Giese, Gannon.

North Star 64, Big Sandy 24 (lo)

Big Sandy 2 7 9 6 - 24

North Star 10 21 16 17 - 64

Big Sandy: Jenna Leader 3, Andrea Rutledge 3, Lainey Gregory 8, Jaylyn Cline 4, Amanda Cline 2, Seanna Demontiney 4. Totals: 5 12-25.

North Star: Kate Hansen 12, Kenidee Wolery 12, Paij Peterson 5, Lily Pederson 5, Tanicha Hudson 2, Olivia King 4, Shayla Borlaug 2, Saige O'Neil 1, Janae West 3, Chelsea Donaldson 12, Peytan King 6. Totals: 21 22-44.

3-pointers: Rutledge, Gregory, Cline. Fouls: Big Sandy 31, North Star 21. Fouled out: Leader, Gregory, Cline.

Chinook 46, Hays-Lodge Pole 45 (lo)

Chinook 7 8 17 14 - 46

Hays-Lodgepole 6 11 15 13 - 45

Chinook: Sierra Swank 11, Megan Molyneaux 11, Carrie Hofer 5, Lourtney Hanson 9, Erin Pula 6, Rachel Gunderson 4. Totals: 17 9-33.

HLP: Ella Messerely 18, Sierra Chandler 2, Latasha Kirkaldie 9, Mulleeah Stiffarm 13, Kassi Perez 2, Tahlia Werk 1. Totals: 14 14-29.

3-pointers: Molyneaux 3, Messerely, Stiffarm 2. Fouls: Chinook 21, Hays-Lodgepole 25. Fouled out: Hanson.