Lady Bulldogs win District consolation crown
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
HAMILTON — The Lady Bulldog’s season started out a bit rocky as they lost their first seven games, but they proved they could run with the head of the pack Feb. 17. Mission put up a fight against the top-seeded Loyola Breakers in the semifinal round of the District 6-B Tournament in Hamilton.
Mission lost to eventual tournament runner-up Loyola 44-33 but had the Breakers leashed until the waning moments of the game, when foul trouble and Loyola free throws tripped up Mission’s momentum.
The Bulldogs were also without Bryanna Steele, who went down in the first half of the game with a knee injury. The team also had two other players who were hurt and sick.
“It wasn’t our best,” Mission guard Stephanie Lewandowski said, noting that three starters were either sick or injured. “I think we would have won if everyone was (healthy) … we were more confident in our shots.”
Lewandowski, who fouled out, also credited the loss to team fouls and Loyola shooting well from the line. The Breakers outscored the Bulldogs from the line 20-10 and forced 30 turnovers.
Despite fouls, the Mission girls were right on target with their shots. Lewandowski lit up the scoreboard early after banking a 3-pointer, followed by a deuce and a trey from Loren Erickson, to put the Lady Bulldogs on top 2-10. The Breakers didn’t get their first lead of the game until the beginning of the second quarter. From there, Loyola built a gradual advantage and was up 22-18 at the half.
After the break, the Lady Bulldogs struck first once again with another 3-pointer from Erickson. But Mission couldn’t catch a break as a shot down low late in the game, which would have put them up by one point, bounced out. After that, the Breakers sank free throw after free throw on their way to the win.
“We didn’t shoot free throws very well, and they did,” coach Les Rice said. “(But) we defended really well.”
Erickson and Lewandowski led with 10 and nine points respectively, while Katrina Stevens pulled down six rebounds.
“I think the season has been good. We had a rocky beginning, but we are improving every game and getting better as a team,” Lewandowski said.
The next day, the Lady Bulldogs proved Lewandowski’s theory and downed Florence 67-57. Again, the duo of Lewandowski and Erickson vaulted the team to a win for the consolation crown. Erickson had a game-high 22 points, and Lewandowski contributed 17 points, including going eight for 10 from the line. Teammate Cecelia Koskela chipped in nine and gathered 11 rebounds.
St. Ignatius joins District champions Deer Lodge, runner-up Loyola and Florence in the Western B Divisional Tournament this weekend in Hamilton.
SUMMARY
St. Ignatius 67, Florence 57
Florence 11 20 13 13 - 57
St. Ignatius 19 16 14 18 - 67
FLORENCE - Megan Byrne 3 3-6 9, Paige Bodner 1 0-0 2, Cody Miller 2 4-8 8, Kyndall Hoff 4 0-0 10, Rosie O’Brien 5 2-4 13, Cassidy Skeers 0 0-0 0, Jill Harris 0 0-0 0, Ava Kollman 2 2-4 7, Hailey Huot 1 0-1 3, Carli O’Brien 1 0-4 3, Margaret Finlay 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 11-27 57.
ST. IGNATIUS - Loren Erickson 8 3-4 22, Stephanie Lewandowski 4 8-10 17, Cecelia Koskela 1 7-10 9, Katrina Stevens 2 1-1 5, Twyla Hegge 2 0-1 4, Kaylie Durglo 1 2-2 4, Carley Elverud 0 0-0 0, Haley O’Hern 3 0-1 6, Courtney Charlo 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 21-29 67.
3-point goals - Florence 6-27 (Hoff 2, R. O’Brien, C. O’Brien, Huot, Kollman), St. Ignatius 4-9 (Erickson 3, Lewandowski). Total fouls - Florence 23, St. Ignatius 23. Fouled out - O’Hern. Rebounds - Florence 48 (Miller 8), St. Ignatius 46 (Koskela 11).
Loyola Sacred Heart 44, St. Ignatius 33
St. Ignatius 12 6 9 6 - 33
Loyola 11 11 7 15 - 44
ST. IGNATIUS - Loren Erickson 3-5 2-4 10, Stephanie Lewandowski 2-11 4-6 9, Bryanna Steele 1-3 0-0 2, Cecelia Koskela 1-2 0-1 2, Katrina Stevens 0-2 4-6 4, Haley O’Hern 2-4 0-0 4, Twyla Hogge 1-2 0-0 2, Kaylie Durglo 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 10-29 10-17 33.
LOYOLA SACRED HEART - Kari Tirrell 0-4 0-0 0, Sam Manley 2-4 1-2 5, Maddie Keast 2-9 1-2 5, Maddie Malsam 1-3 1-2 3, Kiernan Haggarty 5-12 9-14 19, Kenzie Reid 0-3 2-2 2, Mady Dawald 0-1 0-0 0, Maggie Crippen 2-7 6-6 10, Callan Haggarty 0-0 0-0 0, Heather Huguet 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-43 20-28 44.
3-point goals - St. Ignatius 39 (Erickson 2-4, Lewandowski 1-4, Steele 0-1), Loyola 0-8 (Haggarty 0-1, Tirrell 0-1, Crippen 0-2, Reid 0-2, Keast 0-2). Total fouls - St. Ignatius 19, Loyola 17. Fouled out - Lewandowski, Manley. Rebounds - St. Ignatius 29 (Stevens 6), Loyola 31 (Haggarty 9). Turnovers - St. Ignatius 30, Loyola 18.
