Glacier’s girls stopped Billings West’s 12-game winning streak and stunned the top-seeded Golden Bears 50-40 in the first round of the Class AA state tournament at Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark in Billings on March 8.
Three Wolfpack (14-11) players scored in double-figures in the win, led by Anna Schrade’s 12 points. Kali Gulick added 11 and Ellie Stevens had 10. Glacier opened up a 31-21 lead at halftime and never looked back.
“Our size was able to match up with their size, and I don’t know if they’ve ever had to play from behind before,” Glacier coach Bill Sullivan said. “We got up early, we were able to match them, and we played very well offensively and defensively as well.”
Eventual state champion Helena downed Glacier in the semifinals on Friday with a 63-52 win, and the Wolfpack’s season ended Saturday morning in a 52-41 loss to Bozeman. The Wolfpack entered the eight-team tournament as the fourth seed out of the Western Conference.
Glacier’s boys nearly matched the girls’ huge first round upset, taking Eastern Conference top seed Great Falls C.M. Russell to overtime before losing 51-49 on March 8. The Rustlers would go on to win the Class AA state title. The Wolfpack’s (10-14) season ended the next day with a 56-43 loss to Missoula Hellgate.
“Of course you want to get some wins and keep playing for a championship, but what I took away from the weekend is what an amazing group of kids we have for the effort they put on the floor,” coach Mark Harkins said. “This group was one of the hardest-playing teams I’ve ever had.”