Thompson Falls teams stay even

For the Thompson Falls boys and girls basketball teams, it was a 50-50 weekend.

And as a result, both the Blue Hawks and Lady Hawks came away with .500-level season records.

The Lady Hawks lost Friday night at home to Mission, 54-38, then rebounded for a big 56-44 win over Charlo in a game that was supposed to be a road trip but turned into a bonus home game when renovation work on Charlo’s gym floor was not done by Saturday.

The T Falls boys had similar results, beating Mission’s Bulldogs 67-39 Friday, before falling to Charlo 53-41 Saturday evening, also at home due to the floor situation in Charlo.

The Blue Hawks boys got the weekend’s games going in good fashion for the home teams Friday evening, jumping out to an 18-9 first quarter lead. They would hold that lead the rest of the way en route to squaring their season win-loss record at 4-4.

T Falls kept up the relentless defensive pressure in the second quarter and added 10 points to their lead, giving them a 39-20 halftime advantage.

Along the way they Hawks got solid offensive contributions from senior guard Nick Tessier and junior forward Bryson LeCoure. Both players finished the game with 22 points each, while LeCoure continued his hard work on the boards, gathering a team best nine rebounds for the night.

Things were pretty much the same in the third quarter as they were in the first half, as the Blue Hawks outscored the visitors 20-8 to establish an overwhelming 59-28 lead heading into the final quarter.

Mission’s hole was way too deep to overcome and T Falls coasted to victory.

The Bulldogs out-rebounded Thompson Falls 40-35 for the game, but could not match their athleticism as they slipped to 0-7 on the year.

The following evening, in their work-related “home” game in T Falls, the Blue Hawks were the ones who fell behind early, trailing the Vikings 10-4 after the first eight minutes of play.

With 6-6 senior post Wesley Anderson working the boards and sharp-shooting senior guard Hayden Hollow raining jumpers throughout the game, the Vikings held a 24-17 lead at the half.

The two teams played pretty much even-up the rest of the way, but Charlo was able to hold onto it’s early lead. The Vikings improved their season record to 5-2 as they outscored the “home” team 29-24 in the second half.

Hollow scored a game-best 25 points for the visitors, who also got 10 points from Karson Cox.

LeCoure paced the Blue Hawks with 18 points, while Tessier added nine for the Birds.

The Lady Hawks, meanwhile, fell behind Mission 18-10 after the first quarter of their game Friday night.

The Lady Bulldogs, who improved to 5-2 on the year with the win over T Falls, kept up the pressure in the second quarter on their way to building a 34-21 halftime lead.

Thompson was able to trim three points off the Mission halftime lead by outscoring the Lady Dogs 9-6 in the third quarter, but they could not overcome the early deficit.

Outstanding sophomore forward Gabbi Hannum and teammate Addie Pardee had nine points each to lead the Lady Hawks.

However, Mission had four players score in double figures, topped by Kason Page’s game-best 15 points. Cora Matt and Ellannah Flat Lip contributed 11 apiece to the Mission cause, while teammate Kieran Inchashola added 10 points to the Lady Bulldogs’ total.

In the Saturday girls match-up, Thompson Falls outworked Charlo in the first quarter as they posted an18-13 lead in the opening eight minutes of play. They then cranked it up to another gear and outscored the “visitors” 20-8 in the second quarter to establish a 38-21 halftime edge.

Charlo regrouped at halftime and outscored T Falls 14-6 in the third quarter, slicing eight points off the T Falls’ halftime lead. Heading into the final quarter, the Hawks led 44-35.

T Falls got back in the saddle in the fourth quarter, restoring three points to their halftime lead en route to the relatively comfortable win.

Hannum paced the Lady Hawks with 13 points, while Pardee chipped in 12 and Addy Deal added 11 to the T Falls’ effort.

The win boosted Thompson Falls to 4-4 on the year, heading into a Thursday night (Jan 11) contest with Sanders County rival Plains on the Trotters’, who currently sits atop the conference standings. That game will be played in Plains.

Then, both boys and girls teams continue their weekend road trips with an outing to Eureka to take on the Lions and Lady Lions Saturday night.

    Thompson Falls's Braedon Ferris (24) watches as two of his points tickle the twines during the Hawks game with Charlo Saturday evening in T Falls. (Photo by Tracy Scott)
  

    Thompson Falls guard Addie Deal (14) drives past Charlo's Maizey McDonald (12) during the Lady Hawks' win over the Vikings Saturday evening in T Falls. (Photo by Tracy Scott)
  

    Blue Hawks senior guard Nick Tessier shoots over a fallen Charlo player during their game Saturday evening in Thompson Falls. (Photo by Tracy Scott)