The Jefferson High School basketball season got underway last weekend when the Panthers traveled to Red Lodge for the two-day Wooden Memorial Basketball Tournament, featuring schools from across the state.
On Friday, Jefferson took on Columbus, with the girls squaring off first. Austie May sank the Panthers’ first bucket of the season, then Columbus answered with a 7-0 run before MacKenzie Layng broke the Panther dry spell. Dakota Edmisten stole the ball and scored to cut the deficit to 10-6 after one. Arena Faler knotted the score at 10 with a pair of free throws and the Panthers took a 19-15 lead at the half.
Jefferson found its range in the third, with newcomer Brynna Wolfe swishing three long-range shots and Edmisten adding a 3-pointer for a 35-27 lead heading into the final quarter. Layng made it 46-34 with an old-fashioned 3, and Izzy Morris hit a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left for a 48-37 win over a strong Columbus squad.
Then the Panther boys took the floor—and quickly found themselves in an 8-0 hole before Trent McMaster put the first points on the board halfway into the first period. It was 17-5 at the end of one, but the Panthers narrowed the gap in the second, with Tyler Harrington, Zach Zody and Jake Genger scoring to bring their team to within 28-20 at the half.
Columbus opened up their lead to 20 in the third, going up 53-33. The Panthers chipped away in the fourth: Wade Rykal scored, Luke Oxarart added four free throws and a 3-pointer, and Hyrum Parke hit a pair of free throws—but Columbus prevailed, 65-48.
On Saturday, the Panthers took on Colstrip. In the boys game, Genger hit one of two free throws to open the scoring, Oxarart hit a 3, and Genger and Rykal added baskets to give Jefferson a 12-9 lead after one quarter. Free throws weren’t falling for the Panthers in the second, but they still managed to take a 32-28 lead at the half.
But with the Panthers up 34-31 in the third, Colstrip began closing the gap and then took a 44-36 lead. Luke Eckmann connected on an old-fashioned 3 to make it 44-39, but Colstrip scored to go up 46-41 at the end of three. The Panthers kept it close in the fourth, as a Tom Meyer bucket brought them within 51-47—but the final was 63-55, Colstrip.
The Lady Panthers’ game was a battle of two very good teams; on Friday, Colstrip had toppled Sweet Water County, last year’s undefeated state champion. The Panthers fell behind, 9-2, early on as they adjusted to the Fillies’ pressure. Then Rachel Van Blaricom connected with a 2, and Morris and Layng sank 3-pointers to leave the Panthers down 10-17 at the end of one. The Panthers fought back in the second, with long 3-pointers by Edmisten and Wolfe cutting the gap to 1 point at the half.
Coach Sarah Layng made some adjustments in the second half, and the momentum shifted. A steal and score by Van Blaricom tied the score at 34, and Edmisten’s basket gave the Panthers their first lead. Morris added a 3 and Wolfe ended the third with a 2-point field goal to put Jefferson up 41-36. The teams were tied at 44 with 4:44 left—and then the Panthers put on a show to close it out. Some NBA-range 3-pointers got fans on their feet, and the girls worked it around with five players scoring to take a 53-49 win.
This is a busy time at Jefferson High. On Monday, the C and JV teams played East Helena. Whitehall will visit Boulder for basketball on Thursday: JV boys at 3 p.m., JV girls at 4:30 p.m., varsity girls at 5:30 p.m., and Varsity boys at 7 p.m. On Friday, the Panthers host Anaconda: C girls at 3 p.m., JV girls at 4:30 p.m., JV boys at 4:30 p.m., varsity boys at 6 p.m., and varsity girls at 7:30 p.m. And on Saturday, it’s Manhattan at JHS: C girls and C boys at 1 p.m., JV teams at 2:30 p.m., varsity girls at 4 p.m., and varsity boys at 5:30 p.m.
The speech, debate and drama team also competes Saturday, at Townsend.
And on Monday, Dec. 20, C boys basketball play at Butte High, start time 4 pm.
