Skylights salvage split after close loss to Carroll

Monday, Feb. 5

George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor

gferguson@havredailynews.com

When you’ve lost your last three Frontier Conference games, sometimes the hardest thing to do is break that streak, even on your home floor.

But on Saturday night at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse, that’s exactly what the MSU-N Skylights did when they upended Rocky Mountain College 74-56.

Northern opened its weekend with a disappointing 64-55 loss at home to Carroll College on Friday night. That meant that Saturday night’s game with the Bears meant that the Skylights could fall all the way to sixth place with a loss. However, MSU-N was determined not to let that happen.

“We had a great walkthrough and a great film session this morning,” MSU-N head coach Chris Mouat said on Saturday night. “I could see it in the kids’ eyes that they were ready to play. It’s not always like that every game, but this game, I knew we were ready, and I am really glad for that because Rocky is a very dangerous team.”

Playing with their backs to the wall for the first time this season, the Skylights stormed in front of Rocky in the first half. MSU-N got star forwards DeLayne Johnston and Michele VanDyke on track early, and their play led to more outside shots for the likes of sharpshooter Jena Heggem. As the half wore on, the Skylights overwhelmed Rocky via a 18-0 run that coincided with an eight-minute scoring drought for the Bears. And at the end of the first 20 minutes, the Skylights had the game well in hand, up 41-21.

“I thought our start to the game was key tonight,” Mouat said. “We were getting good looks both inside and out, and we knocked down some big shots. Plus the intensity was really there both physically and mentally. I was really pleased with that.”

Despite an early RMC run in the second half, the Skylights just played too well for the Bears to ever seriously threaten. Heggem and backup point guard Kylee Starr continued to hit outside shots that kept RMC’s defense off balance. And that allowed Johnston, VanDyke and reserves Jayla McPherson and Ashley Trulock to take advantage inside. The Skylights finished the game on a 16-9 run that put the Bears away for good.

“We had good rotations tonight and everybody stepped up,” Mouat said. “DeLayne and Michele really were in a good rhythm and when we put Ashley and Jayla in, we didn’t lose anything out there. That’s always nice when you can do that.

“I also think Kylee Starr did some really good things,” he added. “Overall, it was just a great team effort by our kids, and we’re happy to get a win against a good team.”

Johnston recorded yet another double-double for the Skylights. The senior forward recorded game-highs in points, 18, and rebounds, 14. VanDyke was also huge, adding 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Heggem chipped in with 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. RMC (2-7, 8-17) got a team-high 14 points from Josie Evans.

What made Saturday night’s win so important was that it allowed the Skylights to remain in fourth place in the Frontier standings. It also snapped a three-game losing skid that No. 12 Carroll College extended on Friday night.

With a win over MSU-N already in hand, the Saints locked up with the Skylights in a defensive struggle on Friday. But a game-high 28 points and eight rebounds from Carroll’s Amy Brooks was enough to put the Saints over the top at games’ end.

“She’s been playing like that all season,” Carroll head coach Shawn Nelson said. “She is just a tremendous player for us, and it shows just how balanced we are. Northern did a great job of taking away our guards, but we were able to go inside and do some good things.”

The game between Carroll and MSU-N was still in doubt deep in the second half. The teams traded leads seven times in the first half — a half that ended in a 25-25 standstill.

But early in the second half, the Saints surged ahead and led 51-41 with eight minutes left in the game. The Skylights didn’t go away, and they proceeded to rip off nine unanswered points, thanks in large part to timely plays by McPherson and Trulock. And with just 4:36 left the Skylights trailed by one point with a chance to re-take the lead. However, MSU-N never capitalized on that opportunity and Carroll closed the game on a 13-5 run.

“I think we were a few missed free throws and a perimeter shot or two from winning that game,” Mouat said. “That really was the difference. When we needed a big shot, it didn’t fall. And we didn’t shoot free throws well enough down the stretch.

“You also have to credit Carroll,” he added. “This was a very hard-fought game and our kids played with a lot of intensity and effort. But there is a reason they are 23-2 and they made some big plays late, and we didn’t have an answer for Amy Brooks. But I was really pleased with the way our kids fought. The physical effort was definitely there.”

The effort by MSU-N was certainly there, especially on the defensive end of the floor. While Brooks did have a monster game, MSU-N held the rest of the Saints in check, including the league’s second-leading scorer, Jolene Fuzesy. The former Havre High star scored just three points and only got off four shots the entire game. The rest of the Saints’ talented backcourt was a non-factor as well.

However, the Saints (7-2, 23-2) victory over Northern was the fourth straight in two years against the Skylights.

“This was a tough, hard-fought game, and as far as I’m concerned this is the toughest place in the Frontier to play,” Nelson said. “So we’re very happy to get out of here with a win, and I’m proud of our kids for the way they played.”

Offensively, Northern got 12 points and 10 boards from Johnston, as well as 11 points from VanDyke. McPherson came off the bench to give the Skylights eight points and four rebounds.

With the weekend split, MSU-N is now 4-5 in conference play and 14-7 overall. The Skylights will now prepare to embark on their final road trip of the season. MSU-N will face Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho Thursday night and Westminster College in Lewiston, Idaho on Saturday.

“We’re in fourth place alone right now,” Mouat said. “And that’s huge considering how good our league is. I am really pleased with the effort this weekend. The kids played hard for 40 minutes both games, and you can’t ask for more out of them than what they gave.”

Skylights 74, Bears 56

RMC — Keri Siewert 3-5 0-0 7, Sarah Madinger 2-7 1-4 5, Gretchen Wall 3-11 0-1 7, Josie Evans 7-12 0-3 14, Alysa Brown 2-7 2-4 6, Amy Schillinger 1-5 1-2 3, Kassie Holmlund 0-1 0-0 0, Shaylynn Conroy 2-6 2-3 6, Erin Ramsay 1-1 0-0 2, Andrea Rice 0-1 0-1 0, Megan Mohr 0-0 0-0 0; Jenna Sawyer 3-6 0-0 6. Totals: 24-62 6-18 56.

MSU-N — Chelsie Searle 0-2 0-0 0, Becky Sorenson 1-6 0-0 3, DeLayne Johnston 5-6 8-10 18, Jena Heggem 3-8 2-2 10, Michele VanDyke 4-8 6-6 14, Kylee Starr 3-5 2-2 9, Amanda Hovey 1-3 0-0 2, Amanda Quartuccio 1-2 0-0 3, Jayla McPherson 3-4 1-2 7, Ashley Trulock 4-9 0-0 8. Totals: 25-53 19-22 74.

Halftime: MSU-N 41, RMC 21. Three-pointers: RMC 2-15 (Siewert 1-2, Madinger 0-3, Wall 1-4, Schillinger 0-3, Holmlund 0-1, Conroy 0-2), MSU-N 5-15 (Searle 0-1, Sorenson 1-2, Heggem 2-5, Starr 1-2, Hovey 0-2, Quartuccio 1-2, Trulock 0-1). Rebounds: RMC 30 (Evans, Conroy 6), MSU-N 46 (Johnston 14, VanDyke 10). Fouls, RMC 18, MSU-N 16. Fouled out: Brown.

Saints 64, Skylights 55

CC — Sophi Forney 2-4 2-3 6, Amy Brooks 8-12 12-14 28, Laci High 2-8 0-0 4, Caitlin Courchaine 1-3 1-2 3, Jolene Fuzesy 1-4 0-0 3, Elly Bruursema 3-9 3-5 10, Michela Schmitz 1-7 2-4 4, Nicole Leibach 0-0 0-2 0, Hannah Heidenreich 3-5 0-0 6. Totals: 21-52 20-30 64.

MSU-N — Chelsie Searle 1-4 2-2 5, Becky Sorenson 1-6 3-4 5, DeLayne Johnston 5-8 2-5 12, Jena Heggem 3-9 1-2 7, Michele VanDyke 4-7 3-6 11, Kylee Starr 1-3 0-0 3, Amanda Hovey 0-0 1-2 1, Amanda Quartuccio 0-1 0-0 0, Jayla McPherson 3-4 2-2 8, Ashley Trulock 1-4 1-1 3. Totals: 19-46 15-24 55.

Halftime: Tie 25-25. Three-pointers: CC 2-13 (High 0-4, Courchaine 0-2, Fuzesy 1-2, Bruursema 1-3, Schmitz 0-2), MSU-N 2-13 (Searle 1-3, Sorenson 0-1, Johnston 0-1, Heggem 0-5, Starr 1-2, Quartuccio 0-1). Rebounds: CC 37 (Heidenreich 11), MSU-N 32 (Johnston 10). Fouls: CC 21, MSU-N 22. Fouled out: Sorenson.