TRAPPERS EARN FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

Pulling away for good late and avenging the only conference loss of the season put the Northwest College women's basketball team in prime position to secure the No. 1 seed and hosting rights in the postseason, defeating visiting Gillette College 88-61 on Saturday.

NORTHWEST 88, GILLETTE COLLEGE 61
Returning home after a three game road trip, the Trappers (20-7 overall, 8-1 Region IX North) started strong against the visiting Pronghorns (18-9 overall, 6-3 Region IX North).
Gillette held an early 7-5 lead three minutes in, the only one of the game for the visitors, before the Trappers went on an 11-0 run capped off by a McKinlee Covolo free throw with 3:22 left in the first.
The Trappers continued their early push, and made it a double-digit advantage going into the second quarter up 23-13.
"I thought we did a good job of passing against their zone," coach Cody Helenbolt said. "Our kids were pretty smart, which is nice. Because we talked about it during the week of what we needed to do, so for them to come out and execute what the game plan was was good."
Northwest attempted to build on that lead, but was unable to as each time the Trappers made a small run the Pronghorns responded, and it was a 31-21 scoreline midway through the second quarter.
An even scoring quarter of 20 each had the game at the same margin heading into the locker room as Northwest led 43-33.
The Trappers finally started to see more separation in the third quarter. Addison Hickey made it a 17-point game with free throws as Northwest led 55-38 with 4:38 left.
Gillette made a push to end the quarter, but Northwest did not allow the visitors to cut it to single digits as the Trappers led 60-47 heading into the fourth quarter after a late Jaila Childress jumper.
The visitors had one final push early in the fourth, cutting the lead down to 62-54 before Northwest answered with a 10-2 stretch to make it a 72-56 game after an Isabella Williams jumper with 4:32 left.
The Trappers finally made it a 20-point game with just over a minute left on an Emma Pique jumper, and finished with an 88-61 win.
Pique led Northwest with 18 points, one of five Trappers in double-figures as Williams had 15, Madison Kaufman had 14, Childress had 13 and Hickey added 11.
Williams added 12 rebounds to complete her double-double, Kaufman had five assists to tie with Williams for the team lead. Northwest out-assisted Gillette 19-3 in the contest.
Pique and Kaufman had three steals each to lead the Trappers, as Northwest committed only 11 turnovers to Gillette's 22.
"We talk about turnovers and rebounds a lot. We try to focus on really winning those two categories. Any time the other team doubles us up on turnovers, it's probably going to be pretty successful for us," Helenbolt said. "I was obviously happy with my kids after the game; it's nice when you can tell them 'hey, here was our scouting report, and you guys did everything I asked you to do.' Makes my job a lot easier when that happens, and a lot less stressful and frustrating."
That win put the Trappers just outside of the NJCAA national rankings for this week, as Northwest was the first name listed in the "receiving votes" section.

FINAL PUSH
With that win the Trappers put themselves in prime position to earn the No. 1 seed and the right to host the Region IX Tournament in March, taking a two game lead atop the Region IX North with three games to go.
Gillette remains the closest competition, and will likely remain the only opposition to the Trappers over the final two weeks.
Northwest was scheduled to take on Central Wyoming College (12-13 overall, 5-4 Region IX North) on Wednesday night; that game was determined after the press deadline. 
"Every game in conference is huge," Helenbolt said. "I've told the girls I'm not stressing about every other team necessarily. I'm stressing about us playing the way that we need to play."
If the Trappers won that game, they would own a season sweep over the Rustlers, which Gillette College does not have should it come down to tiebreakers.
Northwest then heads to Casper on Saturday at 2 p.m. to take on the Thunderbirds (20-7 overall, 4-5 Region IX North).
Finishing the regular season the Trappers head to Rock Springs at 5:30 p.m. next Wednesday, taking on Western Wyoming Community College (17-9 overall, 4-4 Region IX North).
To take the Region IX crown without any tiebreakers the Trappers need to win two out of their last three, or have Gillette lose one more game — the Trappers would need just one win in that scenario.
"It'd be nicer to just control our own fate. That's what my message was to the kids. I said 'you guys have taken all the steps. You've done all this hard work, just keep going,'" Helenbolt said. "They've earned the spot that they're in right now and they've got to keep doing it."

NORTHWEST 88, GILLETTE COLLEGE 61
Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()
Points — Emma Pique 18, Isabella Williams 15, Madison Kaufman 14, Jaila Childress 13, Addison Hickey 11, Taylee Carlson 8, McKinlee Covolo 7, Itziar Pozas 2
Rebounds — Isabella Williams 12 (3), Taylee Carlson 8 (1), Addison Hickey 8 (1), Emma Pique 4 (3), Madison Kaufman 3 (1), McKinlee Covolo 3 (2), Jaila Childress 2 (1), Maddie Mills 1
Assists — Madison Kaufman 5, Isabella Williams 5, Emma Pique 2, Addison Hickey 2, Elise Swan 1, Jaila Childress 1, Taylee Carlson 1, Itziar Pozas 1, McKinlee Covolo 1
Steals — Emma Pique 3, Madison Kaufman 3, Isabella Williams 2, Addison Hickey 1, Itziar Pozas 1     

REGION IX NORTH STANDINGS
(as of Wednesday morning, Feb. 18)
1. Northwest 20-7 overall, 8-1 Region IX North
2. Gillette College 18-9 overall, 6-3 Region IX North
3. Central Wyoming College 12-13 overall, 5-4 Region IX North
4. Western Wyoming CC 17-9 overall, 4-4 Region IX North
5. Casper College 20-7 overall, 4-5 Region IX North
6. Eastern Wyoming 12-13 overall, 2-6 Region IX North
7. Laramie County CC 9-15 overall, 1-7 Region IX North