No one was certain what kind of teams Flathead Valley Christian would bring to Plains, but in the end, it was crystal clear: they play pretty good basketball, with the Flathead boys winning 54-50 and the Crusader girls taking a 32-20 win.

The Crusaders boys' team was first up on the non-conference double-header Thursday night at Plains High, and they overcame the first basket of the season by Plains senior Darren Standeford to take a 3-2 early lead.

The Horsemen, behind the shooting of senior Zaden Allen’s six first quarter points, took a 10-7 lead in the waning moments of the initial period, but Flathead Valley rallied to take an 11-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Crusaders stretched that lead to 14-10 on a three-pointer, then went up 16-10 a short time later.  However, Allen drained a long three to pull the Horsemen within three, 16-13.  

Promising 6-2 sophomore Cooper Meredith hit a pair of treys that helped the Horsemen assume a 23-19 lead in the closing moments of the half, then got a two-pointer from Coby Anderson to give Plains a 25-21 halftime lead.

The two evenly matched teams battled back and forth in the third quarter with Flathead taking a 30-26 lead midway through the period.  Plains tied the score at 30-30 a short time later, then cashed in another three by Allen to take a 35-32 lead.

Following a Standeford two-pointer, Plains led 37-34 before Flathead’s Grant Kenney threw in an offense balance buzzer beater to close the gap to 37-36 heading into the final quarter of regulation.

The lead changed hands several times in the fourth quarter, with Plains building a four-point lead before Crusader junior Jonathan Potts buried a pair of treys that gave the visitors a 48-44 lead with 3:27 left in regulation.

Later in the quarter, with Flathead leading 50-48, Standeford sank a two-pointer that tied the game at 50-50.  A free throw gave the Crusaders a 51-50 lead with 1:26 to play.

Flathead got a turnover and converted it to a two-point basket to stretch their narrow edge to 53-50.  The Crusaders added a free throw on an intentional foul as time was running out to secure a 54-50 win.

Standeford led the Horsemen with 14 points, while Allen added 13 for Plains.

The girls contest began with Flathead taking a quick, 4-0 first quarter lead before Mila Rivinius scored the Trotters’ first bucket of the season to cut the visitors’ lead to 4-2.

Plains junior Katelyn Subatch tied the score at 4-4 with a steal and layup, but the Lady Crusaders scored a pair of two-pointers to take an 8-4 lead.  Plains sophomore Aubree Butcher was fouled and sank a free throw to cut the lead to 8-5, which was the score at the end of the first quarter.

Flathead opened the second quarter with a long three on their way to building a 13-5 advantage. Along the way the Lady Crusaders tenacious defense bottled up the Plains offense, which scored just one point in the quarter.

At halftime Flathead had an 18-6 lead.

Plains opened the third quarter with a two-pointer by the team’s only senior, Trystan Larsen to cut the lead to 18-8, then got another two from Rivinius to make it 18-10. Ava Lawyer scored to make it six straight points for the Trotters and pulled them within six, 18-12.

Flathead scored two, then Larsen drained a long three to cut the Lady Crusader’s lead to 20-15. Flathead answered that three with one of their own, giving them a 23-15 advantage with just under two minutes left in the third quarter.

Butcher drilled a three-pointer with time running out, making the score 23-18 heading into the final quarter of play.

The Lady Crusaders got a big block early in the fourth quarter from 6-3 sophomore Katelyn Burlingame, but Lawyer added a two-pointer for Plains to make it 23-20 with 6:09 left in regulation play.

Plains defense cranked up the pressure as neither team scored until Flathead got a three-pointer to take a 26-20 lead with 2:26 to go.  The Lady Crusaders scored the final six points of the game to secure their 32-20 victory.

Both Plains teams return to action this Friday (Dec 13) when they host Two Eagle River at the PHS gym, with varsity action beginning at 5:30 p.m.

    Plains senior Zayden Allen is guarded by Flathead Valley guard Jonathan Dannic during their game this past Thursday in Plains. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)