Bombers blast past Tigers
Photo by Ed Moreth<br>Logan Clay of Thompson Falls takes Libby Logger Dean Willey to the mat and soon wins 12-5. Wrestling in the 145-pound weight class, Clay went on to finish in second place at the Superior Invitational Wrestling Tournament Saturday.
They're called the Paradise Bombers boys junior high basketball team, but because of low numbers at the school, the team has athletes from fourth grade to seventh and both boys and girls play on the team this year, said coach Mark French. Yet, it was a St. Regis player who took a shot at the wrong basket, although it didn't go in. "We're definitely the underdogs this year," said French, who's in his third year with the Bombers.
Paradise went on to defeat the St. Regis Tigers in narrow home victories last week. The Bombers' A squad won 31-28 in Wednesday evening's game. For the Bombers B squad, however, it looked as though they were going to have their first loss of the season. But just before the clock buzzed, fifth-grader Kyle Revier, a Plains resident, sank a three-pointer to tie things up and send the game into overtime. Both teams scored additional points in overtime, but when time ran out, the Bombers had a 36-32 win for their third victory of the season.
The score was close for the A squad throughout the game. A squad is usually comprised of eighth graders, although Paradise has no eighth-graders on the team. The Bombers led 16-14 at halftime, but the Tigers slipped ahead in the third 22-20. Paradise pulled ahead in the fourth and maintained a three or four point lead to the end. The A squad holds a 2-1 record.
Abram French led the A-squad with 11 points, followed by Revier, who had 10 points. Revier led with 26 points in the B squad action, followed by Kaleb Beech of the sixth grade with four.
French, a sixth-grader, also led the team with 16 rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Revier and Jamie Cook, both of the fifth grade, had four steals apiece for the B squad. Beech led the B squad with seven defensive rebounds and four offensive rebounds.
"St. Regis continues to be a great match for us," said French, who noted that the team wore new uniforms for the first time, thanks to donations from the Plains and Paradise communities.
The Bombers will travel to Hot Springs to take on the Braves Monday, Jan. 7, for a 4 p.m. game. The Bombers play at home again Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m.