Plains hoopers stay hot after holiday break

On a roll.

There’s probably not many other ways to describe the path of the Plains Horsemen and Trotters so far this basketball season.

As in rolling over almost everyone in their path.

The Plains Trotters boosted their 2023-24 season mark to 7-1 with a pair of wins this past week, stampeding Victor Thursday night, 46-15, then holding off stubborn Noxon 36-25 in a pair of home games.

The Horsemen played only one post-holiday break game, topping Noxon 74-39 to lift their season start to 6-2.

To date, the only team to beat the Trotters was Darby, back in December. Darby has since lost two games, including a 48-46 squeaker to Superior before the break.

Coach Brooks Sanford’s girls came out running and gunning Thursday against the Lady Pirates, galloping to a 17-2 lead after one quarter of play.

The home team then doubled up on Victor in the second quarter, outscoring them 16-8 to secure a commanding 33-10 halftime lead.

From the start, the aggressive Trotters’ defense was too much for the Pirates, who fell to 0-4. They lost Friday night to Two Eagle River to drop to 0-5 on the year.

With reserves seeing plenty of playing time in the second half, Plains added seven points to their lead by the end of the third quarter when their defense held the overwhelmed Lady Pirates to one point.

Heading into the final eight minutes of play, Plains was firmly in control, 41-11 as they breezed to their sixth win of the year. It was their fifth straight win after losing to Darby December 12.

Freshman forward Ava Lawyer led the Trotters with 16 points as Plains continued dominating under the basket. Blakely Lakko chipped in nine points for the Trotters, who also got seven tallies from junior Lexie Demming, who along with Blakely continued to rule the boards.

The next night, also in Plains, the Trotters had a tougher battle with the Noxon Lady Red Devils. Plains grabbed a 13-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, then steadily pulled away from the determined visitors the rest of the way.

Plains built a 22-10 lead at the half, then played the Devils even-up in the second half. In the end, the Trotters were able to hold onto their halftime advantage and lock down victory number seven on the year.

Blakely Lakko paced the Trotters with a game-best 14 points in the win.

Noxon fell to 0-4 on the year with the loss.

Next up for Plains is a meeting with Sanders County rival Thompson Falls Thursday night in T Falls. They then journey to Superior Friday night (Jan 12) to face the Lady Bobcats.

Noxon played at Valley Christian Friday night and has a scheduled game Jan 9 versus Clark Fork, Idaho.

The Horsemen, meanwhile, showed they are for real this season with an overwhelming 74-39 win over the Noxon boys Friday in Plains.

The Horsemen came out strong in the first quarter, outscoring Noxon 16-7. They padded that lead by five in the second quarter to take a 35-21 halftime lead.

Then they took up the reins and stomped off to a 31-9 third quarter advantage, giving them a 66-30 lead heading into the final quarter of regulation.

Noxon could trim only one point off that huge lead in the fourth quarter as the Horsemen coasted to their sixth win against two losses this season.

Three players scored in double figures for Plains, topped Anaya Loberg’s game-best 24 points. They also got 20 points from junior guard Darren Standeford and 16 from Spanish foreign exchange student Pablo Hernandez.

The Red Devils fell to 1-3 on the year with the loss.

Plains travels 24 miles up Highway 200 this Thursday for a game with Sanders County rival Thompson Falls. The next night (Friday) they travel to Superior for a game against the Bobcats.

    Plains forward Ava Lawyer (white) battles for position with Noxon junior Seanna Richter during their game Frday night in Plains. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
  

    Trotters sophomore forward Katelyn Subatch goes up for a lay-in during Plains' game versus Noxon Friday night in Plains. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)