Broncs best Bulldogs with buzzer-beater
Bulldog Lee Walburn goes up for a shot in the fourth quarter against Frenchtown Dec. 21 in the gym at Whitefish High School. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Bulldog Ryan Kemm dribbles the ball around a Frenchtown defender in the first half on Dec. 21 in the gym at Whitefish High School. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish’s Sam Menicke takes a shot in the first half against Frenchtown at home Dec. 21. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish’s Lee Walburn looks to make a pass over two defenders to a fellow Bulldog in the third quarter of the Bulldog’s game against Frenchtown at home Dec. 21. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish gave its best effort, but the Bulldogs weren’t unable to come back from a slow start against Frenchtown on Dec. 21 at home.
The Dogs fell to Frenchtown 45-47 in a Western A matchup.
The Bulldogs lagged behind Frenchtown in scoring in the first quarter with the Broncs holding a 15-4 lead.
Dillon Botner led Whitefish with 22 and Lee Walburn added 11 for the Bulldogs.
Whitefish worked diligently, adding to its point total throughout the game to finally bring the score to a 45-45 tie in the fourth quarter with less than 30 seconds left in the game.
However, a buzzer-beater two-point field goal by Frenchtown sealed the deal for the Broncs.
“We didn’t show up in the first half,” coach Scott Smith said told the Daily Inter Lake. “We can’t dig ourselves a hole like that and expect to win against good teams.”
The Bulldogs are now 4-2.
The Bulldogs face Class AA Flathead on Friday at home at 7:30 p.m. Then on Saturday at home they take on Hamilton at 4 p.m.
Frenchtown 47,
Whitefish 45
Frenchtown 15 15 9 8 – 47
Whitefish 4 14 11 16 – 45
FRENCHTOWN: Cade Baker 12, Mason Tyron 4, Brandon Finley 5, Hank Rugg 12, Zack Baker 7, Ben Larson 2, Dawson Leishman 5.
WHITEFISH: Jayce Cripe 5, Bodie Smith 2, Sam Menicke 3, Ryan Kemm 2, Lee Walburn 11, Dillon Botner 22.