Ladies give Bravettes a scare

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

The Class AA Flathead Bravettes were lucky to escape Whitefish with a win Friday night. The Lady Bulldogs took the lead six times on the Bravettes, including late in the third quarter.

Whitefish out scored Flat-head an incredible 14-6 in the second quarter to take a 29-23 lead at halftime. The tight man-to-man defense that Whitefish played seemed to throw the Flathead players off balance.

The game was all knotted up at 38-38 going into the last frame, and Whitefish started to smell blood in the water.

The Bravettes, however, began to use their size to wear down the Lady Bulldogs on defense, and they went on an 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter.

Whitefish tried to adjust to Flathead's zone defensive scheme, but it was too late before they figured out a way to get inside on the Bravettes. The Bravettes went on to win the game 61-48.

"They are just quicker kids, but as far as effort goes, I was proud of the way we played. They just wore us out," said head coach Tim Olson. "We took a lead in the third quarter, and we though we were going to weather the storm, but it didn't work out. We were just waiting for the shots to fall in. It was still a great learning experience."

Ashley Ferda did her best to spark her team to a late rally, sinking two of her four three-pointers in the fourth quarter. Chelsea Ray had one.

Ferda finished with 14 points and two steals. Ray registered eight points, three rebounds and three assists. Kate Klundt had 12 points, and Dana Labuda had six points, six rebounds and two steals. Desiree Clarke and Amanda Ormsby each had four points.

The two teams exchanged leads six times and were tied nine times.

Flathead senior guard-forward Kendalyn Habel scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to ice the game for Flathead.

Flathead 17 6 15 23 - 61

Whitefish 15 14 9 10 - 48

Whitefish (5-5) — Jessie Slaybaugh 0-0 0-0 0, Torie Powell 0-2 0-0 0, Kate Klundt 5-12 2-3 12, Ashley Ferda 4-12 2-2 14, Desiree Clark 2-3 0-0 4, Dana Labuda 3-7 1-2 8, Chelsea Ray 3-7 1-2 8, Amanda Ormsby 2-6 0-2 4. Totals 19-49 5-9 48.

3-point goals — Flt. 5-12 (Habel 3-6, O'Connell 2-5), Wht. 5-12 (Ferda 4-8, Ray 1-3). Rebounds — Flt. 42 (Heaton 11, Evans 7, team 6, Habel 5, Krautbauer 5, Brown 5, Younkin 2, O'Connell), Wht. 32 (team 9, Labuda 6, Klundt 5, Powell 4, Ray 3, Ferda 3, two with 1). Assists — ), Wht. 11 (Klundt 3, Ray 3, Ferda 2, Clark 2, Powell). Steals — Flt. 14 (O'Connell 4, Habel 4, Krautbauer 2..