While the Badgers were down late, they continued the fight until the very end, falling 50-41 to the Lakeside Knights in the first girls basketball game of the season in a game that could have gone either way. 

Bonners Ferry will play Sandpoint on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.  

Freshman Bristol Hill started off the scoring for the Badgers season with a three-pointer, before Lakeside went on an 11-2 run. But, by the end of the first quarter, the score was tied 13-13 after senior Hallie Thompson scored a clutch contested bucket in the dying seconds. 

The second and third quarters were back and forth, with both teams taking the lead, which was never more than a few points in either direction. Lakeside was up 25-21 at the half and Bonners Ferry was leading 32-31 at the end of the third quarter. 

It was the Knights that would start the fourth quarter with momentum, scoring seven points in a row to take the lead, 38-31. However, junior Taren Bateman went on a run of her own for the Badgers, scoring seven points in a row with lights out play to make the score 41-40 Bonners Ferry with two minutes left.  

From that point on, it was all Lakeside, as they scored ten unanswered points to win by nine points.  

In a hard-fought game, both teams went full throttle on both ends of the court. This led to 15 steals and 10 blocks for Bonners Ferry but also led to 21 fouls and 25 turnovers.   

Taren Bateman led the Badgers on both offense and defense, scoring 20 points on 22 shots. She also had six blocks and seven steals.  

Junior Nolie Hiatt grabbed 14 rebounds, five of them offensive, to go with two steals, three blocks and six points in an all-round performance.    

Senior Alexys Mierke, listed at 5 feet, 1 inch tall, was the team’s second leading rebounder with seven, including two offensive boards. She also had four assists, the most on the team.     

Thompson only played eight minutes but was effective, scoring four points on three shots.  

Hill scored seven points, including having a team high with two three pointers. Freshman Jaycee Bateman had three assists, two steals and two rebounds. 

Junior Eva Willis was a force in the paint, grabbing two offensive and three defensive rebounds in 14 minutes of play.   

Earlier in the evening, Bonners Ferry junior varsity beat Lakeside 45-36 in their season opener. 

    Nolie Hiatt shoots over a Lakeside player.

    Jaycee Bateman attempts an open floater.