Lady Longhorns fall to Pine Bluffs 59-36

The Kimball High Lady Longhorns were just the latest team to suffer a loss to the Pine Bluffs Lady Hornets as the defending Wyoming State Champions remained unbeaten to run their season record to 18-0 in the 59-36 win at Kimball on a Tuesday evening.

The Kimball girls had a very good first half of play, trailing 19-14 at the quarter break with Justine Heeg nailing a pair of treys and Jannel Fiehtner hitting yet another, and Kate Reader scoring 5 points. The 2nd period was where Kimball really shined out-scoring Pine 10-4 to take a 24-23 half time lead. Reader scored 4 more points and Alexis Lulf hit a pair of long distance treys, but the second half was all Lady Hornets as they tallied 36 points while holding Kimball to just 12.

The Kimball team, including coach Chauncey Pedersen, were still battling illness and Reader spent some time in the first half with her head in a trash can. Reader and Fiehtner were both getting some bench time with foul problems and Fiehtner picked up her 5th foul with 5:19 to play.

Reader led Kimball scoring with 15 points including 3/3 free throw shooting, had 6 rebounds, 6 blocks and 3 steals. Heeg had an outstanding game with 9 points, including 3 treys and 3/4 foul shooting. She led in rebounds with 7, and had 3 blocks. Lulf ended up with 6 points on the 2 treys, and had 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Fiehtner had 3 points with a trey and led in assists with 4. Carli Wurdeman also had 3 points with her trey.

Kimball was 12/51 from the field going 6/22 on 3 point treys, were 6/7 at the line, had 24 rebounds, 9 blocked shots, 10 steals, 8 assists, 20 turnovers, and 16 fouls.

Pine Bluffs had 24 field goals and no 3 pointers, were 11/17 at the foul line, and had 13 fouls. They had 8 players in the scoring columns led by Montanna Chrystal with 18, Kammie Ragsdale 17, and Jaydyn Golding 12. Others scoring were Sierra Shelit 4, Natalie Christofferson, Melissa Fornstrom, Paige Thompson, and Ashlyn Culp all with 2 points each.

It was once again a tale of Kimball giving a good effort against a very talented opponent, but running out of gas with the illness issue and lack of depth.

Pine Bluffs 19 4 17 19---59

Kimball 14 10 9 3---36

Pine Bluffs also won the JV game 56-16 and gave notice that with a tall and talented class of freshmen and sophomores, basketball for the Pine Bluffs girls is going to be very good for at least a few more years. Hyleigh Fornstrom, a 6'0" freshman, led the winners with 20. Sophie Howard, a 6'1" sophomore, had 10, Paige Thompson 8, Dylan Sweeter 6, Torri Long 6, Amber Abrams 3, and Maddie Fornstrom 2.

Scoring for Kimball were Lacey Klinkhammer and Carli Wurdeman with 4 each, Bailie Brower 4, Jenna Greenwood 2, and Sierra Rutledge 2.