Hampered by illness to a key player and perhaps by recent inactivity, the Plains Trotters never quit trying but their season efforts ended at the Western B girls divisional basketball tournament at SKC in Pablo last week. The Trotters won one of three games before being eliminated.

Saturday’s opening game in the tourney with eventual Western B champion Florence Thursday, was coach Brooks Sanford’s Trotters’ first game action since Feb. 14, and the Plains girls fell to the powerful Falcons 61-17. Due to the fact that District 7B did not hold a conference tournament this year, the Trotters were left with a large gap in their schedule after regular season play ended going almost three full weeks without a game.

Back on court in Pablo Friday, the Plains girls overcame a halftime deficit to rally past the Darby Tigers 50-43 in a loser out contest.

Facing Sanders County rival Thompson Falls Saturday in the consolation semifinals, the Trotters played well but fell 51-34 to the Lady Hawks to complete season play.

Sanford appreciated his team’s efforts. “I thought our girls played hard,” he said. “They are a great bunch of kids and building up to next year, things look promising!”

Sanford said sophomore Hadyn Rice, a dynamic force inside the key when she is right, was limited by a case of the flu last week and complimented Mila Rivinius for stepping up in Rice’s absence.

Sanford also cited the strong play of Ava Lawyer who posted two double doubles in Pablo and hit a game-clinching 3-pointer in the win over Darby Friday.

He said that Jaycee Carr also had a good tournament and a big game against Darby in spite of a nagging hip injury, and that Madi Pfister also contributed to the win over Darby. Sanford praised Katelyn Subatch, the only senior on the Trotter roster, for hitting some big shots and defending well throughout the three days in Pablo.

In the game with Florence Thursday, Subatch led Plains with seven points, Rice and Jayden Cook scored three points apiece, and Lawyer, Carr and Emma O’Keefe two each.

Kandyl Meinhold led Florence with 18 points, Maggie Schneiter scored 13 and Ali Meinhold 11.

The win over Darby was the Trotters’ finest hour in Pablo.

Trailing 31-25 midway through the third quarter, the Trotters rallied with a 11-0 run to take control.

After Lawyer scored a two-pointer while being fouled and then canned the free throw to tie the game 31-31, Carr scored the next five points of the game for Plains, four off two buckets off of nice assists from Lawyer and the other one on a free throw to put the Trotters ahead to stay 36-31.

Late in the fourth quarter with the Tigers again threatening and trailing only 42-41, Lawyer stymied the Darby advance with a cold-blooded 3-pointer to effectively put the game away with a little over two minutes left.

Lawyer finished the game with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and at least two assists to lead Plains, Subatch added 10 points, three steals and four rebounds, Carr six points, four rebounds and a steal, and Rivinius, in more of a post role than she normally plays due to Rice’s illness, had eight points and six rebounds.

Madi Pfister added two points, two rebounds and two steals (one of which she converted into a driving layup on the other end at a key juncture in the game) and Reese Meredith three points.

The Trotters wrapped up season play in the loser out game with Thompson Falls.

Lawyer scored 11 points, speared 14 rebounds and blocked two shots to lead the Trotters, Subatch scored 10 points, secured six rebounds and pilfered five steals, and Rice added four points and six rebounds in limited playing time.

    GRABBING THE REBOUND, Plains junior Taryn Merdith secures a rebound as Taylor Pyette of Florence tries to get a hand in on the action in Pablo March 5. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)
  

    PLAINS JUNIOR Madi Pfister dribbles downcourt as the referee tries to keep up in action at the Western B divisional tournament in Pablo Thursday. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)