Rocky freshmen split with Burlington

The freshman season for the Rocky Mountain High School basketball teams is winding to a close, with just one more game on the schedule for the girls team and three for the boys.

Tuesday, the teams faced off against Burlington, with the boys game in Burlington and the girls game at home in Cowley.

The Rocky boys edged the Huskies 39-38 playing without two of their top players, Cooper Winland and Mason Moss, who play significant minutes for the varsity team. The Grizz trailed 35-32 after three but outscored Burlington 7-3 in the fourth quarter to win.

“It was a very competitive game Tuesday night against Burlington,” coach Taylor Winland said. “It was a weird game in the first half. Both teams were scoring, but the energy in the gym just felt dead. About halfway through the third quarter we picked up our defensive intensity, and that helped us to win. The boys were put in some tough situations and handled them with poise.”

Evin Clendenen finished with 13 points for the Grizzlies, including 5 points in the critical fourth quarter, and Cooper Ward added 9, Jaxon Hayes 7, Jaxson Miller 6 and Paul Seratt 4.

The girls “C” team fell to Burlington 33-24 at home, leading 19-13 at halftime but outscored 20-5 in the second half.

Layla Gardner scored 7 points for the Lady Grizz, Charlee Welling 6, Kennedy Brimhall and Halle Grandalen 3 each, Leah Haslem and Brooklyn Larsen 2 apiece, Emma Sponsel 1.

“The girls did a great job running the offense, looking to move the ball and getting into our open post and taking the open outside shots,” coach Jamie Cooley said. “We played some great defense in the first half; it was better than I have ever seen them run it. Our posts did a great job taking away their post action under the basket.

“In the third quarter we got a little ahead of ourselves in our offense and weren’t executing the way we had the first half. We worked hard, but we were outscored in both the third and fourth quarters. Our girls didn’t let up and continued to play hard and kept working as a team. I always love watching this group play together. I am proud of the effort they gave last night.”

The Grizzlies will match up with local rival Lovell Monday at 6:15 p.m. with the girls playing their final game of the freshman/C team season in Lovell and the boys hosting the Bulldogs. The freshman boys are also scheduled to play at Wyoming Indian Saturday at 10:30 a.m.