There are two fairly well-known sayings in the grand game of basketball that most folks know: speed kills, and you can’t coach kids to get taller.

These two axioms clashed during a consolation round game of the Western Divisional Class C tournament in Butte this past weekend when the taller Ennis Lady Mustangs collided with the speedy sharpshooters from Superior.

Ennis won the game 61-29, thanks in large part to its large front line which lists four players 5-9 or taller, most of whom can also shoot the ball.

Superior, on the other hand, has a starting line up who all stand 5-5 or less, but can run like deer and shoot like Annie Oakley.

Something had to give and unfortunately for the Lady Bobcats, their season ended as the ‘Stangs front line took control of the boards and held it for most of the game.

Ennis, which went on to finish fourth in the tournament, grabbed a 16-9 lead after one quarter of play as 5-10 seniors Marlyssa Ledgerwood and 5-9 Payton Mallet cleaned the boards for several put back baskets on missed shots.

They continued their elevation domination in the second quarter en route to a 29-17 halftime lead.

The Lady Bobcats, who rely on the lightning quickness of seniors Isabella Pereira and Payton Milender, along with the long-range shooting of senior Darby Haskins, were not as accurate from beyond the three-point arc as they almost always are. The resulting missed shots, some from Haskins that folks joked left her hands in Anaconda on their way to the rim in Butte, were rebounds that fell into the outstretched arms of Ledgerwood, Mallet and company, and became fodder for a steadily increasing lead.

By the end of the third quarter, with fouls mounting on both sides due in part to a high number of calls by offensive foul happy referees, Ennis had established a solid 42-27 lead with eight minutes remaining in the game.

The Lady Mustangs then went on a rebounding and scoring run that lasted most of the fourth quarter, outscoring the Cats 19-2 to sew up the win and eliminate Superior from the tourney.

The Cats, who compiled a sparkling 19-4 overall record this year and were 13-0 in District 14C play, were led by junior forward Lanie Crabb’s 10 points. Mallet scored a game-best 16 for the Mustangs, while Lederwood added 12 to the Ennis cause.

The Lady Bobcats, who many saw as the best hope for the 14C conference to send a team to the upcoming state tournament in Billings, opened the tourney with a narrow 53-52 loss to Lone Peak, which finished third after winning the consolation final Saturday evening.

Superior clawed its way to an 11-10 first quarter lead against Lone Peak, which qualified via the combined Districts 11 and 12C tournament last week. The Lady Cats then used their deadly outside shooting to build a 26-19 lead by halftime.

Lone Peak got things going in the second half, outscoring Superior 19-13 in the third quarter to erase the Cats lead, then out-pointed Superior by two points in the final quarter, including a field goal that gave the Lady Big Horns a 53-51 lead with 13 seconds remaining.

Haskins was fouled, sending her to the charity stripe for two shots, but the second attempt came up short and time ran out on the game clock as both teams scrambled for possession.

Pereira led the talented Cats senior crew with 16 points, while both Haskins and Milender contributed 10 to the Superior offense.

Kate King led Lone Peak with a game high 17 points.

The loss sent Superior to the consolation round Saturday, where they encountered the Drummond Lady Trojans from the 13C conference. Superior fought to a 9-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, then turned up their trademark defense and held Drummond to just three points in the second quarter, while the Bobcats tallied 14.

That gave Superior a 23-11 halftime lead.

Drummond came out strong in the third quarter, slicing four points off the Superior lead, and sending the game to the fourth quarter with the Lady Cats holding a 32-26 lead.

Drummond fell further behind as Pereira and Haskins began dialing in shots from well beyond the three point arc.

The Lady Trojans could not answer the Bobcats offense fireworks and time ran out with the Lady Cats earning a 51-34 victory, keeping their season and tournament hopes alive.

Pereira, who is heading to Whitworth College next year on a track scholarship, scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Lady Cats, while Haskins chipped in 18.

Haskins, Pereira, Milender and Molly Patko graduate this spring, leaving the Lady Cats with some big shoes to fill. However, they are well stocked with underclassmen, and should have height to go with speed as Eddye Betts (5-9, sophomore) and Barelynn Mangold (5-7 sophomore) return next year.