Hinsdale Girls Win 3C Divisional Title

After a stunning victory at districts the Hinsdale Lady Raiders continued their winning ways at divisionals with wins over Culbertson (33-31 whew!!), Fairview (45-30) and over Saco/Whitewater. More on these games after these words from Grannie Grumpy's Grits and Gravy House located at fourth and main in beautiful downtown Toenny.

Welcome back sports fans.

In Hinsdale's first game the Lady Raiders faced the Lady Cowgirls of Culbertson and with a half time lead 22-8 the Hinsdale fans and faithful were looking pretty rosy and the third quarter showed Hinsdale up 26-13. A nice comfy lead for Hinsdale, right? Wrong.

Something happened in the fourth stanza and the Cowgirls put on an 18-7 run and actually took a two point lead with just a couple minutes left.

Hinsdale's Courtney Capdeville grabbed a crucial offensive rebound and passed to Whitney Molina who tied it up at 31.

With just 11 ticks left on the clock Culbertson inbounded but fluffed the pass which Molina stole and streaked to the other end for the lay-up but got absolutely hammered and missed the shot. She was awarded the obligatory two free throws and hit both giving Hinsdale a two point lead with under two seconds left, there wasn't enough time for the Cowgirls to get a shot off and the game ended 33-31 favor of Hinsdale.

Bethany Lacock led all scorers with 14. She contributed six rebounds. Chadaya Christensen tallied the only 3-pointer for the Lady Raiders on her way to a 10 point night. Whitney Molina scored seven points while adding four rebounds and six assists. Capdeville had two points and four rebounds.

Game two on Friday pitted Hinsdale against the number three team in district 2C the Fairview Lady Warriors. It was no contest.

Whitney Molina put on a Lady Raider clinic in scoring as she tallied 24 points on the night. She was tough on the boards as well gathering in nine rebounds and two assists. Lacock tallied 12 points and one rebound. Capdeville had four points and three rebounds, Delaney Beil scored a deuce and Christensen had three points and one rebound.

Hinsdale faced the Lady Panthers of Saco/Whitewater in the championship game Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the Wolf Point High School gymnasium. This was the fourth time this season the two teams met and Saco/WW held the 2-1 edge beating Hinsdale twice during the regular season and losing to the Lady Raiders in last weeks district tourney.

The Lady Panthers earned their spot to this game with wins over Circle (52-34) and MonDak (51-41). Both the Lady Raiders and the Lady Panthers sport a 22-2 over-all record which ain't too shabby indeed.

If Hinsdale wins there will be no challenge game this year for the girls. If the Lady Raiders lose they can be challenged by the MonDak Thunder who just thumped Fairview in the consolation game to win third place.

Molina started right off with a steal but the Raiders turned it over in front court before anyone had a chance to fire. Saco/WW had a good look at the bucket on their first possession and Tatum Moore fired up a 25 footer for three points.

At the other end of the court Capdeville cranked up a three that rattled around and fell out but Lacock was right there to grab the rebound and put it back up and in for the deuce.

To every ones and no ones surprise, depending on which side of the court one sat, Saco/

WW led 10-4 at the end of the first act of this four, possibly five, act drama.

Molina fed Lacock a dish pass underneath and Bethany jumped about 5 feet high and put it up and in, Molina hit a couple freebies, then a dish to Christensen for an easy two in the paint. Molina added two more freebies and a deep 3-pointer.

Whilst all this was happening Saco/WW's Shyla Gairrett nailed a three and a two and Moore nailed a deep 3-pointer and the first half was in the books. Saco/WW still held a seven point lead 24-17.

For Saco/WW Moore dumped in another of her 3 three's and drove the lane unimpeded for a twobie, Gairrett picked up her fourth foul for Saco/WW and Saco super-eighth-grader Jada Sudbrack took a pass from Kourtney Simonson and drove the key as smooth as a gazelle and laid the sphere up and through that little hoop thingie for two.

Molina sizzled the sisal with yet another three and Christensen grabbed another OR and dished off to an open Lacock for a deuce.

Score at the end of 24 minutes of intense, grueling and physical play stood at Saco/WW 31-29 over Hinsdale after Hinsdale outscored Saco/WW 12-7 in the third quarter.

Bethany hit a deuce and Saco/WW got two uncontested layups, one by Laramie Shefflemear and the other by Moore to give Saco/WW a two point lead but Molina wouldn't hear of it and nailed down yet another three from deep space to put Hinsdale up 36-35 at the 2:33 mark.

Saco/WW had possession, Hinsdale stole it but turned it back to Saco/WW. Moore promptly took it to the hoop for two. Saco/WW up by two.

Molina drove quickly down court, saw Christensen in the corner and fired a pass to her. Chadaya alertly saw Bethany wide open under the bucket and hit her with a zinger. Lacock put it up and in to give the lead back to Hinsdale 38-37.

Saco/WW missed a shot on their next possession and Lacock grabbed an absolutely critical rebound at 1:06, passed to Whitney and they all headed to the Hinsdale end of the court.

Coach Ralph called a cease fire for an 'important message' to his girls.

Right after time resumed Kiana Simonson fouled Molina sending Whitney to the charity stripe to shoot two. She nailed them both and the score with :30.6 ticks left stood Hinsdale 40-38 over Saco/WW.

I don't think any one on the Lady raiders team thought Saco/Whitewater would trust the ball to their eighth grader Jada Sudbrack but trust they did and Jada came through like a seasoned vet driving the paint, putting up the deuce and drawing the foul and an opportunity for an old fashioned 3-pointer to tie the game at 40 each.

Ralph called a short time out and then another to let the situation drift into Jada's head but Jada drizzled the ball a couple times, drew a deeeep breath, eyed the bucket and fired for the old fashioned 3-point play.

Capdeville inbounded to Molina under Saco/ww's basket with just 8 seconds remaining. Whitney, with a defender on each side and one making a frontal attack, controlled her dribble, crossed the time line and with one eye on the clock, one eye on the defenders and one eye on the bucket.

If she makes it Hinsdale wins, there's no challenge game, Hinsdale evens the record and we all prepare for a trip to Hamilton.

Miss and it's overtime.

With just a nano second left on the clock and three defenders in close proximity Molina stopped short and fired up a desperation floater from 16 feet away that hit the top of its arc as the buzzer went off. Silence in the gym as the ball traveled through space and then once the ball tickled the twine Whitney is jumping eight feet off the floor to land in the arms of her jubilant teammates.

Hinsdale wins 42-40.

Coach Ralph's comment to me after it was all over was "it was a hell of a game."

Happy tears on one side of the gym. Sad tears on the other side. But the ones crying sad tears need not feel too badly. They played a valiant game that truly could have gone either way. There will be more meetings in the future and possibly a meeting at state.

That ended the girls 2014 eastern C tournament.

Moore finished the game with 13 points. Gairrett hit added nine points. Sheffelmear scored seven and had four rebounds, Kourtney Simonson added four points, Sudbrack five points and two rebounds and Kiana Simonson two points.

For the victors Molina led all scorers with 20 points while adding six rebound and four assists.

Lacock turned in one of her better performances with 14 points and six rebounds. Christensen added six points and seven rebounds and Capdeville added two points and five rebounds.

Great tournament to one and all and we will see you in Hamilton.

That's it for now folks. Thanks for listening.