Butte High girls ready to battle at Divisionals

In most tournament brackets you see a #7 vs. #2 game, you look ahead to the Friday semi-finals to see whom the 2 seed might get next. This Western AA Divisional is not one of those tournaments.

I truly feel like the girl’s side of the bracket is wide open. As the season has progressed, every team has gotten better, making every game extremely competitive.

Cadence Graham's game-winner Tuesday night against Helena. Photo: Tommy O/ Townsquare Media

The Butte High girls are the absolute poster child for playing your best ball when it matters. In their first trip through the conference, the Dogs went 0-7, averaging 33 points a game. In their second trip around the conference, the Bulldogs were able to rack up 3 wins, and amazingly they jumped their scoring average from 33 points a game in the front half of the season, to 48 points a game in the back half of the season. I am a ‘stats guy’ I love numbers, and I don’t think I have ever heard anything like that before. A nearly 50% increase in scoring from the first half of conference to the back half.

To start the season the Bulldogs were led by their seniors, Laura Rosenleaf, Emmarie Richard, and Payton Clary. One of those 3 was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs in each of their first 6 games. Then things started to shift a bit, Brityn Stewart finished the (first) Big Sky game with 16 points. Then Dylann Bartoletti jumped to the top of the scoring list, and then Cadence Graham started to get rolling. It took a few games, but suddenly Butte High has a solid TEAM, rather than a few solid players.

Laura Rosenleaf blocks Sentinel's Olivia Huntsinger Friday night. Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media

The Dogs start the tournament against the Bravettes of Flathead. Flathead has won both meetings between the 2 programs this year. The first a 39-36 win in Kalispell, and the last a 60-52 win in Butte on February 2^nd.

This Butte High team is a group you can’t overlook. They are going to have to play well, but this Butte High team can fight their way into a late Saturday game.

The brass ring is the State AA tournament that will be played at the Butte Civic Center.

You can read our Butte High Boys Divisional preview HERE.