Freshman girls start season 3-1

by Cindy Glasson

The Hot Springs County High School freshmen ladies basketball team came out on fire their opening weekend at the Lovell Invitational.

Coach Ernie Mecca reports the girls played host team, Lovell, in the first game on Friday, besting the Lady Bulldogs, 48-20.

McKenna Bomengen led the scoring with 18 points against Lovel, with Tahja Hunt and Sesi Jensen not far behind with eight points each.

Mecca said, "All the girls were able to contribute significant playing time with seven of them scoring points."

It was a bit of a squeaker in the next round against the Lady Broncs of Cody. The Lady Cats came out on top in overtime, 36-34.

"This was an exciting overtime game over an opponent our girls had not beaten during their middle school career," Mecca said. "The girls overcame an 11 point halftime deficit to go up by five at the end of the third period."

Sesi Jensen led the scoring this time with 10 points. Hunt chipped in eight points, including a bucket in overtime. Aspen Jensen stepped up and calmly hit two critical free throws during overtime.

Their only loss of the weekend came against the Lady Panthers of Powell, falling to them by just two buckets, 36-32.

"The girls came out flat after their big overtime win over Cody," Mecca said. "They got off to a slow start, trailing by seven points at the half, to a team that had never beaten them.

"For the second time, they came roaring back in the third quarter to trail by just two points. They just could not get their close shots to drop to ever regain the lead."

Bomengen led the scoring again with 14 points while Sesi Jensen chipped in nine.

For their home opener, the Lady Cats took on the Lander Tigers on Tuesday, finishing December with a 3-1 record, besting Lander 32-21.

"Nerves were the issue for the girls as this was their very first game of their high school careers on their home floor," Mecca said.

While they were behind 10-3 at the end of the first quarter, they settle in and outscored Lander, taking a 17-11 lead into the locker room at half time. They extended their lead to 27-18 at the end of the third and held on for an 11-point win.

Mecca said they were a little short-handed, suiting just seven players as Audrey Axtell was out sick.

Dani Jo Pebbles came off the bench in her sixth-man role, playing her best game of the early season, scoring five points and securing some key rebounds.

Bomengen led the ladies in scoring with 14 points. She was hot at the free-throw line, making eight out of 10 shots. Hunt added six points, including a big three-pointer in the third quarter.

"The girls and I are getting to know one another since I have never been their basketball coach and this is their first year in high school, learning a new system," Mecca said. "They also have a new player in their rotation with the addition of Ashley McPhie to our school.

"I was real pleased with their effort in Lovell last weekend. They did a lot of good things in all three games, but we have a lot of work to do on our defensive and offensive fundamentals.

"We also need to figure out our player rotation, especially if some of the girls move up in the future and play a few quarters of JV when we are all togetherplaying three games a night."

The freshman schedule takes a break now until after Christmas break, returning to action on Jan. 7 at the Buffalo Invite.

There are eight girls on the freshman squad – Tahja Hunt, Aspen Jensen, Ashley McPhie, McKenna Bomengen, Sesi Jensen, Dani Jo Pebbles, Kaylee DeVries and Audrey Axtell.