Lady Grizzlies Go 1-2 At Bulldog Shootout

The Grace Lady Grizzlies spent last weekend playing in the Ririe Bulldog Shootout.  Grace faced three separate teams in three days.  The schedule was set up as an eight team bracket with each team guaranteed three games.  Grace was the only 2A school at the tournament and were joined by 3A Malad, West Jefferson, Firth, Ririe, West Side, and 4A Marsh Valley and Cole Valley Christian.  The tournament was a good experience that gave the Grizzlies an opportunity to face some teams they don't often play as well as one that they play regularly.

The Lady Grizzlies started the tournament matchup against the Firth Cougars.  In the opening period of the game the Cougars showed that they could shoot from outside hitting a pair of threes but the Grizzlies were able to get baskets from five separate players earning the early 15-12 lead.  The roles would reverse in the second quarter as Firth would be the team to spread the scoring and put up fifteen points.  Meanwhile the Grizzlies offense would sputter some but they would keep the game close by getting to the foul line where they went five for eight.  The first half came to a close with a one point lead for Firth.

The second half of the game did not favor the Lady Grizzlies as the offensive struggles continued.  Grace only made five field goals in the entire half with four of them coming from the teams leading scorer Tessica Jorgensen.  Firth put up a total of twenty points in the second half and the Grizzlies were sent to the consolation side of the bracket.

On day two of the tournament the Lady Grizzlies faced off against another Nuclear Conference opponent the West Jefferson Panthers.  The first quarter of this game was a slow starter.  Each team went two for two from the charity stripe while each would also make just two other shots in the quarter with the only difference being one of the Panthers baskets was a three point shot.  The quarter ended with West Jefferson leading 7-6.

The second quarter did not see much of an improvement by either team.  The teams matched scores and ended with eight points each.  The Panthers maintained their one point lead going into the half.  

Out of the half the Panthers made some improvements and outmatched the Grizzlies.  Grace failed to improve on their quarter totals and the quarter came to a close with the Panthers extending the lead to eight points.

In the fourth quarter the Grizzlies attempted to mount a comeback lead by Kallie Stoddard.  Stoddard scored ten of her twelve points in the quarter and the team as a whole scored sixteen.  Unfortunately it was too little too late and the Grizzlies dropped their second game of the tournament.

The loss put Grace in the bottom of the tournament playing in the seventh and eighth place game.  Their previous opponents Firth and West Jefferson ended up placing third and fourth respectively.  In this last place game the Grizzlies were paired with a familiar foe in the West Side Pirates.  Grace had already faced the Pirates once this season, easily defeating them.  It would only be different this time in the sense that the margin of victory would increase.  The Grizzly defense held the Pirates to less than five points in each quarter for a total of fourteen points.  The Lady Grizzlies put up thirty six points and went fifteen for twenty one from the line.

The Lady Grizzlies will continue their long road stretch this weekend as they will travel to New Plymouth to take on the Pilgrims as well as their first 2A opponent of the year Prairie.

Grace 15 11 7 5 38

Firth 12 15 12 8 47

K.Stoddard 3, K.Christensen 7, L.Gilbert 2, P.Steadman 4, C.Yost 4, T.Jorgensen 18

Grace 6 8 6 16 36

West Jefferson 7 8 13 12 40

K.Stoddard 12, K.Christensen 5, K.Mansfield 2, L.Gilbert 2, P.Steadman 2, T.Jorgensen 13

Grace 9 10 6 11 36

West Side 3 4 3 4 14

K.Stoddard 9, K.Mansfield 6, L.Gilbert 3, C.Yost 11, A.Cooper 2, T.Jorgensen 5