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Consider it official; signed, sealed and delivered.

The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks signed on the dotted line against Bigfork in Thompson Falls last Thursday, registering a signature win in the District 7B conference season with an exciting 52-42 triumph over the visiting Vals.

With that District 7B message delivered, coach Chadd Laws took to the road Saturday and delivered another message to 6B's Deer Lodge Lady Wardens, knocking off the Powell County girls 55-39.

"We have to close out games and we were able to do that against Bigfork," Laws said. "I thought the crowd was a huge factor in helping us do that, and the kids made the plays they had to."

With the back-and-forth game tied at 38-38 with less than four minutes left, the Hawks put their foots on the gas and motored past the wore-down Vals in the closing minutes.

First Ellie Baxter assisted Elli Pardee for a nice basket off an inbounds pass to put the Hawks up 40-38. A few seconds later, Jody Detlaff pulled down an offensive rebound and scored it to make the score 42-38.

After Bigfork scored, Pardee then assisted Megan Baxter for a hoop, followed by a steal and another assist from Ellie Baxter to Megan Baxter that made it 46-40. Two free throws each later by Ellie Baxter and Detlaff made the score 50-40 and the Hawks went on to win.

John Hamilton

ON THE BREAKAWAY - Hawk junior Megan Baxter drives for the basket late during last Thursday's game with Bigfork. Thompson Falls won 52-42.

One of the best basketball sister acts in Montana this season, Ellie and Megan Baxter led the Hawks against Bigfork, Ellie with 17 points, four steals and six assists, and Megan with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The very active Detlaff was good for 12 points and nine rebounds, Riley Wilson added three points and Pardee and Belle Cooper two apiece. Cooper also dished out four assists.

Laws thought Faith Frields, Wilson and Pardee all made big plays and good decisions in the heat of the 7B battle to aid the Hawks' cause down the stretch.

Emma Berreth led Bigfork with 17 points and Ansleigh Edgerton scored 14.

Laws said the Hawks played well enough to win in Deer Lodge. "We're happy, but we're not satisfied," he said. "We are in the discussion now for the Western B, and want to keep getting better as the season goes on."

No individual scoring or statistics were available for the Deer Lodge game.