Dogs can't pace Indians at divisionals

The Bulldogs fought hard at the Western A Divisional, but couldn’t make the cut to move on to state.

Whitefish won its opening game against Hamilton, but then fell in their next two games to Browning and Polson to close out their season.

On Thursday the team opened play against Hamilton, who they’d lost to earlier in the season, but they were able to put things together this time.

Despite falling in a 9-4 opening quarter deficit, the Dogs pushed out to a 35-28 lead by the start of the fourth quarter, which they were able to hold until the final buzzer.

Justin Conklin led the team in scoring with 20, including hitting six three pointers for the second straight game. Sam Menicke added 9 and Bodie Smith chipped in 8 in that game.

“I thought we came out and played great,” head coach Scott Smith said of Thursday’s game. “We played like we’re capable of, defensive intensity for all four quarters and it was just a total team effort as far as keeping the Hamilton guys in check.”

That win set the team up for a battle with Browning on Friday, who they’d lost their two regular season games to by scores of 62-56 and 70-60.

Friday’s matchup was not so close, however, and the Indians ran away with the game early on for the 68-39 win.

The Bulldogs got off to a slow start offensively, scoring just 7 points to Browning’s 16 in the first quarter, and the Indians put up 21 points in the second quarter to open a big 37-17 halftime lead.

From there the Dogs were forced to play catchup, and they couldn’t close the gap.

Jayce Cripe led the team in scoring with 11, while Talon Holmquist added 9.

Browning’s Riley Spoonhunter led the game with 27 points.

It was a tough turnaround for the Dogs, Smith said, especially in what felt like a home-game environment for Browning, whose fans packed the Ronan gym, and with a couple of kids battling flu symptoms.

“They were hot and they were on, and I think we came out a little shell shocked,” Smith said. “[Browning] travels so well. That’s what’s fun playing Browning, it’s such a great atmosphere. You just have to embrace it, and I think our kids just let it get to us.”

That game set up Whitefish for a Northwest A loser-out battle with Polson.

The Bulldogs made up for a slow offensive start with a 17-point second quarter, but they still trailed 26-21 at the half.

They made up some ground in the third, but Polson held strong in the fourth to seal the 50-44 win.

The Pirates sealed the fourth place spot and a ticket to state with the win.

For Whitefish, the tournament was a tough end to a winning streak that had reached six games leading up to Friday’s loss.

In the case of the final game, a tough offensive outing and small mistakes killed the team’s chances, Smith said.

“We had our chances, at the start of the game we just could not shoot the ball to save our life,” Smith said. “We had open shots and we could not get them to drop. It is what it is. Too many small mistakes, unforced turnovers that hurt us in a tight game.”

The Bulldogs finish the year with an 8-14 record, a drop from last year’s 15-9 season.

Smith said he’s proud of the way his team finished the season, but can’t help but look back on some of the team’s early losses.

“Looking back at the games, there were a lot of little things at the start of the season that cost us games. If you have us shooting more than 50% at the line, there’s five or six games we could win,” he said. “Overall I’m proud of the kids. They didn’t give up. I’ve seen a lot of teams start off the way we did with close losses and they just give up. This team didn’t. The seniors helped put us in a position to go to state, a couple bounces here or there and we get there.”

The team will also return a lot of its core players, like Cripe, Homquist, Bodie Smith, and Jaxsen Schlauch, though it will graduate Daniel Davis, Conklin, Garret Brock and Sam Menicke, all of which played major roles on the team.

“We’ve got a good nucleus of kids,” Smith said. “It’s just the time spent in the offseason that’s needed to make us a better ball club next season.”

Hamilton 9 6 13 14 — 42

Whitefish 4 13 18 14 — 49

WHITEFISH – Bodie Smith 8, Justin Conklin 20, Jayce Cripe 7, Sam Menicke 9, Talon Holmquist 5.

Browning 16 21 19 12 — 68

Whitefish 7 10 14 13 — 39

WHITEFISH – Fynn Ridgeway 4, Bodie Smith 6, Marvin Kimera 2, Sam Menicke 5, Barrett Scott 2, Talon Holmqist 9, Jayce Cripe 11.

Whitefish 4 17 11 12 — 44

Polson 11 15 10 14 — 50

WHITEFISH — Justin Conklin 14, Jayce Cripe 10, Bodie Smith 9, Sam Menicke 6, Talon Holmquist 5.