Petteys posts 18 points as Hawks level Noxon
Photo by Sarah Leavenworth<br>Lady Red Devil Sarah Larkin loses her balance as she struggles with Lady Hawk Rheanna Padden for the ball. Thompson Falls claimed a 53-38 victory over Noxon Friday.
An 17-point outing for point guard Kimmy Moore and scrappy play kept Noxon within striking distance of Thompson Falls Friday night, but Katie Petteys and the versatile Lady Hawk offense stretched a seven-point lead heading into the forth quarter to a 53-38 win.
Petteys dominated from the paint, posting a team-leading 18 points and adding three rebounds and an assist. Her bucket to open the fourth quarter - on an assist from guard Nicole Hagedorn - set the tone for a Hawk offensive run that would prove to much for the smaller Lady Devils to handle.
Moore, listed at five feet, four inches tall, was the spark in the Noxon offense. She racked up 10 second-half points, but the Thompson Falls defense held the rest of the Lady Devil scorers in check. Sarah Larkin (eight points) and Bethany Brown (seven points) rounded out the top three Noxon performers. Lindsey Franz added a bucket and Chandler Wilkinson scored four points.
The Lady Devils offered the Thompson Falls girls all they could handle early in the game. The two squads traded baskets, and Noxon took an early first quarter lead on a field goal from Moore. Petteys and the offensive supporting cast for the Lady Hawks held their ground through a see-saw second quarter, and had established a 29-23 lead heading into halftime.
Rheanna Padden and Moore traded scores to open the third quarter. The Lady Devils pulled to within four points before a Karli Cavill layup and two clutch free throws from Petteys helped push the Hawk lead to 39-32 entering the home stretch.
Thompson Falls answered a Moore bucket in the initial seconds of the fourth quarter with scores from Petteys and Padden, who notched eight points for the night. The Hawks showed offensive depth, closing out the fourth quarter with scores from Kyla Molzhon, Katelyn Jedlicka, Padden and Petteys.
Jedlicka posted 10 points for Thompson Falls, followed in scoring by Padden. Cavill and Molzhon each stepped up for six points. Padden pulled down 10 rebounds and added five assists, and Cavill showed range with two boards, six steals and five assists.
The Lady Hawks take on Charlo at home Thursday. Noxon plays St. Regis at home Saturday.