The rock met the hard place. The irresistible force met the immovable object. Jefferson High’s girls basketball squad met the Colstrip Fillies — and Colstrip wouldn’t yield, besting the Lady Panthers, 56-43, to take the Class B state championship Saturday evening in Bozeman.
“This is the first time we’ve made it to the State finals,” said senior Rachel Van Blaricom, who has anchored the team for four years. After the loss, she was smiling. “And we’re second in the state. That’s nothing to hang our heads about.”
Still: This wasn’t the shimmering finale Jefferson had hoped for. Tears were shed. All the pieces had come into place this season, and the Lady Panthers tore through most of their schedule undefeated. Escape from near-death at the Southern divisional tournament, and a thrilling, come-from-behind overtime victory to seal third place, only cemented the girls’ belief that they could overcome anything.
But they couldn’t topple Colstrip. Its 6-foot senior, Canzas HisBadHorse, dominated inside, scoring 25 points off lob passes and offensive rebounds. Guards Malea Egan and Bailey Egan matched the Panthers’ speed and ball-handling skills.
And the Fillies’ defense was the toughest Jefferson had encountered in this tournament. Every drive into the lane was a battle, and the outside shots weren’t falling: The Panthers went 3 for 20 from behind the arc.
When Van Blaricom got slapped with her third foul with five minutes left in the third period, a little gas seemed to drain from Jefferson’s engine. Still, the girls scrapped and battled. “They left it all out on the floor,” said coach Sarah Layng afterwards. When the Panthers narrowed what had been a 14-point deficit to just seven with three minutes left, Jefferson’s student section roared, hoping for yet one more game-ending rush.
But there was no miracle this time. Colstrip called time, quickly regained control, and finally put an end to Jefferson’s dreams. The Lady Panthers were left to accept the second-place plaque, to watch as the Fillies and their coaches did a victory dance at center court — and to content themselves with a magical season that came up just short.
