Badgers, Wildcats go out winners
MIDDLETON, Idaho – The Bonners Ferry and Kellogg girls basketball teams did the Intermountain League proud Saturday morning at the State 3A tournament.
Both teams captured trophies. For Bonners Ferry, it didn’t matter what place was printed on the hardware, though the Badgers were tickled to finish third. For Kellogg, the consolation trophy for fourth wasn’t what it was seeking, but the Wildcats were grateful to take home something after seeing their state title hopes dashed two days earlier.
Bonners Ferry led from start to finish as the Badgers decked Declo 56-43, while Kellogg used its staple, defense, to smother Fruitland 53-31 at Middleton High School’s gym.
BF 56, Declo 43: The Badgers’ two senior starters, Kaitie Poston and Becky Lowther, with help from junior Camille Robertson, gave the Hornets too many weapons to defend.
Especially when Declo tried to defend the Badgers early by using a box-and-one on Lowther. It’s a tactic BF has seen often this season and, for that matter, many times in Lowther’s four-year career as a starter.
The patient Lowther scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half while Robertson and Poston shot holes in Declo’s plan by combining for 19 points in the first half. Poston, who frequently burned the Hornets inside, finished with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds and Robertson added 16 points and nine steals. Lowther also had eight rebounds and two assists.
The Badgers opened a 13-5 lead midway in the first quarter. Declo got within 14-13 early in the second period. But every time the Hornets made a run, BF had an answer. A putback by Poston at the buzzer allowed the Badgers to take a 27-24 lead into halftime.
BF (18-10) was never seriously threatened in the second half. The Badgers took their first double-digit lead at 48-37 when Lowther made two free throws with 3:35 to go.
It’s the first trophy for the Badgers since the 1994-95 team placed second.
“That was a great way for the seniors to go out,” BF coach Travis Hinthorn said. “It’s well-deserved. We stayed fairly composed, which was nice to see. We handled the pressure. We took smart shots. We didn’t force anything.”
Hinthorn was pleased that his team bounced back from a semifinal loss the night before.
“We were happy with any trophy,” Hinthorn said in general about being at state.
Kellogg 53, Fruitland 31: The Wildcats used an 8-0 run just before halftime to start pulling away.
Junior guard Taryn Cochrane came off the bench to make a 3-pointer, giving Kellogg a 19-12 lead with 13 seconds left in the second quarter. The Grizzlies scored a basket seconds later, but the Wildcats were beginning to take over.
Kellogg (22-3) pressured Fruitland into 15 turnovers in the second half. The Wildcats took advantage of those mistakes to build a 32-22 lead after three quarters.
Fruitland finished with 23 turnovers. Kellogg scored 28 points off of those mistakes.
Junior wing Marisa Bush led Kellogg with 18 points. The Wildcats’ lone senior starter, Steph Cantrall, finished with seven assists and four steals.
The Wildcats, who had a Cinderella ride at state last year when they finished second, were ranked No. 1 most of this season. They had nothing less than a state title as their goal.
“They came down here with high hopes of a state title and their hearts were ripped out the first day,” Kellogg coach Steve Bourgard told the crowd as his team accepted the consolation trophy.
“I love my team’s character,” he said later. “For them to come back and show their character and their heart the next two days … I think everyone down here knows Kellogg is a powerhouse.”
Cantrall, the lone starter Bourgard must replace, was pleased with the ending.
“I guess you can say that a trophy is better than no trophy,” Cantrall said. “I’m just grateful to end it on a win.”