After just missing the state tournament last year, the Ronan Maidens have been on a mission this year, winning 21 straight games after losing their first two. They avenged one of their losses this weekend in the semifinal game against Libby.

After a rough start Thursday night against Eureka, the Maidens pulled together to win the game 51-43. Coach Ron Hanson said Eureka deserves a lot of credit. “They played a defense that we weren’t ready for. It took us awhile to get used to it.” After that win, he said they got together to discuss the possibility of seeing it again against Libby. ‘We met Friday morning to go over things, but Libby didn’t play that same defense,” he said.

Against Libby that night, Ronan took an early 13-10 lead. In the second quarter, Lee Camel hit her second three of the game and Micalann McCrea scored five points in a row off of offensive rebounds to go up 28-21 at halftime. However, the Maidens did have some foul trouble. In the third, Libby pulled within six points, and Jordyn Clairmont had to sit with four fouls.

However, a three by Lee Camel and another by Alicia Camel put the Maidens up 43-36 after three quarters. In the fourth, Ronan started to pull away, then took a 51-43 win to head into the championship game. Hanson said the team rebounded well against Libby. “They played solid defense on the big girls.”

From there, the Maidens headed to the championship game against Loyola, a team that was upset-minded after defeating number one ranked Bigfork in their first game of the tournament, then beating Florence to make it to the championship.

Ronan jumped out to a nine point lead after the first quarter, thanks to a big performance by Micalann McCrea and Lee Camel, who each had eight in the first quarter alone. Loyola gained the momentum in the second quarter, putting up 21 in the second quarter to go up 29-27 at halftime. Lee Camel put up seven in the third to tie up the score after the third quarter. She made her free throws in the fourth, and good defense by the Maidens gave them the win, 54-47. Hanson said that going into the game, the team felt confident. “Loyola is super athletic. We knew if we could keep Tessa Burke from going off on us we would be good.”

Burke was the team’s high scorer, but shot only 2 for 8 from beyond the arc.

Hanson said the team is feeling confident. “We set out with some goals to be conference and district champions, and to be divisional champions.” Now the team heads to state. “I think we have a good chance [to do well],” Hanson said, “We are excited.”

The win Satuday night was Ronan’s first ever divisional championship. Ronan has a week off before playing in the state tournament in Butte March 11-13.

First round

Ronan 51, Eureka 43

Ronan- 6 20 12 13 – 51

Eureka- 6 9 12 16 – 43

EUREKA – Sienna Utter 15, Amanda Peterson 14, Stacy Cooper , Elizabeth Pacella 2, Cassie Peterson 2. 17 4-9 43

RONAN – Micalann McCrea 5 5-9 15, Jordyn Clairmont 4 3-5 12, *Alicia Camel 3 2-2 8, *Jaelynn Askan 3 0-0 6, Lee Camel 1 2-2 4, Gabby Wirz 1 2-2 4, *Siliye Pete 1 0-1 2, Ashley Peterson 0 0-2 0, Siliye Pete 0 0-1 0.

3FGs – R1-10 (Clairmont), E5-20 (Utter 5).

REBOUNDS *33 (A.Camel 7, Clairmont *6, L.Camel *7, McCrea *6, Siliye Pete 2, Ashley Peterson *3, Askan 2). ASSISTS 5 (McCrea 2, Pete, Askan, L.Camel). STEALS 11 (McCrea 3, L.Camel 3, Clairmont 2, Peterson, A.Camel, Gabby Wirz). BLOCKS 1 (Askan, McCrea).

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s): tm28r (Clairmont 5r, L.Camel 5r, McCrea4r, Ashley Peterson 2r), tm1b (McCrea 0b).

Semifinal

Ronan 61, Libby 44

Ronan 13 15 15 18 – 61

Libby 10 11 15 8 – 44

RONAN – Lee Camel 9 2-2 24, Micalann 7 3-4 17, Alicia Camel 5 2-4 13, Jordyn Clairmont 0 3-4 3, Siliye Pete 2, Louetta Conko-Camel 2.

LIBBY – Jayden Winslow 12, Madison Monigold 11, Abby Ennenga 8, Shannon Reny 7, Trinity Wallace 5, Ashley Walker 1.

3FGs – R5-14 (L.Camel 4, A.Camel), L2-7 (Wallace, Monigold).

REBOUNDS *33 (A.Camel 8, McCrea 7, Clairmont *5, L.Camel 4, Ashley Peterson 4, Sadie Wirz 2, Conko-Camel 2, *Gabby Houle). ASSISTS *15 (Gabby Wirz 3, A.Camel 3, L.Camel 3, Conko-Camel 2, McCrea *2, Clairmont *2). STEALS *9 (L.Camel 3, Clairmont *3, McCrea, Conko-Camel, A.Camel). BLOCKS 2 (McCrea, A.Camel).

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s): tm31r (Clairmont 4r, Houle 0r), tm13a (McCrea 1a, Clairmont 1a), tm8s (Clairmont 2s).

Championship

Loyola 8 21 9 9 – 47

Ronan 17 10 11 16 – 54

LOYOLA SACRED HEART – Tessa Burke 18, Skylar Hollenback 12, Brook Kolar 11, Darien Schneider 3, Payson Jacobson 3.

RONAN – #Lee Camel 7 6-6 22, Micalann McCrea 7 1-7 15, #Alicia Camel 5 2-4 12, Jordyn Clairmont 1 3-8 5.

3FGs – L6-26 (Burke 2, Hollenback, Schneider, Jacobson, Kolar), R2-7 (L.Camel 2).

REBOUNDS 27 (A.Camel 10, Siliye Pete 5, McCrea 4, L.Camel 3, Clairmont 3, Sadie Wirz, noID1r). ASSISTS *11 (L.Camel 4, McCrea 2, A.Camel 2, Clairmont *2, Pete). STEALS 5 (McCrea 2, A.Camel 2 Clairmont). BLOCKS 2 (McCrea, A.Camel).

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s): tm10a (Clairmont 1a),

# denotes modification to scoring variants reported by venue/media: (L.Camel 28p, A.Camel 6p).