Girls win District 4C Tournament

The Carter County High School Lady Bulldogs won the District 4C Tournament for the second time in the last four years in Miles City on Saturday night. The 'Dogs finished second to Wibaux in 2018, beat Wibaux for the Championship in 2019, finished second to Melstone in 2020, and defeated Melstone in this year's championship game.

Even more impressive though, is that the girls have won the Southern C Divisional Tournament for the last three years. This weekend, they will look to make it four in a row, and may face some familiar opponents along the way.

After their second place finish at the district tournament to Wibaux in 2018, the girls beat Plenty Coups, Bridger and Harlowton on their way to the Southern C Championship. All three teams are at this year's tourney.

In 2019, CCHS defeated Melstone in the second round of the District 4C tourney and Wibaux in the championship. After winning games against Park City and Bridger at the Southern C, they again faced Wibaux and had a convincing 20 point victory after winning by only 6 in the district championship.

Last year, the girls finished second to Melstone at districts, losing by six points. At divisionals, they downed Bridger and Plenty Coups to set a rematch against Melstone for the Southern C Championship. Tight defense in the game held Melstone's Draya Wacker to 2 points and CCHS won by 3.

The Lady Bulldogs first game at the Southern C Divisional tourney this year is against Plenty Coups, a team they defeated at the 2018 and 2020 Southern C Divisional. Aside from possibly meeting Bridger or Harlowton again, the girls could also find themselves in yet another rematch with Melstone. CCHS lost to Melstone both times during the regular season before avenging them at the District 4C.

To get to Melstoneat districts, the girls first downed an improving Plevna Lady Cougar team with a convincing 38 point victory. In the second round, the girls found themselves down by one to Jordan at halftime, but caught fire in the third quarter. They went on to win, 53-36.

Most of the championship contest was back and forth as neither team could establish a lead. Even though CCHS went only 6 of 14 from the free throw line, a tight defense in the fourth quarter (and their biggest scoring quarter since their first round win over Plevna) helped the girls to win the chipper, 45-38.

Due to coronavirus restrictions, not all Bulldog fans were able to attend the game, but the atmosphere still felt like a District 4C Championship contest. Fans were able to purchase passes that got them into their home team games, but not other District 4C contests, so their was a lack of fans from other towns during contests throughout the tournament.

The girls' first game at the Southern C Divisional is this Wednesday at 5 p.m. versus Plenty Coups. The tournament is taking place at Laurel High School, with some games taking place at the middle school in Laurel.

CCHS 15 24 45 57

Plevna 3 12 15 19

CCHS: Heidi LaBree 24, Tyra O'Connor 10, Ella Owen 8, Kari Kittelmann 7, Kendra Tooke 3, Codi Melton 3, Amaya Coleman 2.

Plevna: Jaeda Paul 8, Chloe Tudor 4, Hayden Lane 3, Jenna Paul 2, Dacy Buerkle 2.

CCHS: Brynn Loehding, 1 trnv, 1 ast; Zoie Rost, 2 rbnds; Kendall Kittelmann, 2 rbnds, 1 trnv; Kari Kittelmann, 7 pts, 2 rbnds, 4 asts, 3 stls; Tyra O'Connor, 10 pts, 7 rbnds, 3 trnvs, 1 ast, 2 stls; Codi Melton, 3 pts, 3 rbnds, 1 trnv, 2 asts; Heidi LaBree, 24 pts, 7 rbnds, 2 trnvs, 3 asts, 8 stls; Ella Owen, 8 pts, 3 rbnds, 2 trnvs, 3 stls; Amaya Coleman, 2 pts, 3 trnvs, 1 stl; Kendra Tooke, 3 pts.

CCHS 11 24 39 53

Jordan 9 25 26 36

CCHS: Heidi LaBree 24, Tyra O'Connor 11, Codi Melton 7, Ella Owen 6, Kari Kittelmann 2, Amaya Coleman 2, Brynn Loehding 1.

Jordan: Lacey Lawrence 11, Lindsay Lawrence 11, Brooke Murnion 6, Brynn Ryan 4, Brenna Murnion 2, Krystan Hafla 2.

CCHS: Brynn Loehding, 2 trnvs; Kari Kittelmann, 2 pts, 4 rbnds, 2 trnvs, 7 stls; Tyra O'Connor, 11 pts, 3 rbnds, 3 trnvs, 7 stls; Codi Melton, 7 pts, 4 rbnds, 3 trnvs; Heidi LaBree, 24 pts, 2 rbnds, 10 trnvs, 6 asts, 4 stls; Ella Owen, 6 pts, 5 rbnds, 2 trnvs, 1 stl; Amaya Coleman, 2 pts, 1 rbnd, 1 trnv, 1 ast.

CCHS 8 19 28 45

Melstone 11 17 27 38

CCHS: Heidi LaBree 18, Ella Owen 8, Codi Melton 8, Kari Kittelmann 7, Tyra O'Connor 4.

Melstone: Kayla Kombol 16, Koye Rindal 13, Leni Krebiel 8, Kelsey Thurston 1.

CCHS: Kari Kittelmann, 7 pts, 3 rbnds, 1 trnv; Tyra O'Connor, 4 pts, 6 rbnds, 2 trnvs, 1 ast; Codi Melton, 8 pts, 14 rbnds, 4 trnvs, 1 ast, 1 stl; Heidi LaBree, 18 pts, 5 rbnds, 6 trnvs, 3 asts, 5 stls; Ella Owen, 8 pts, 5 rbnds, 2 trnvs, 1 ast, 1 stl.