By Danny Waldo
After finishing the regular season at 22-3 overall and 11-1 in the Eastern AA, head coach Erika Gustavsen’s Bozeman Lady Hawks can now set their sights on defending their 2015 state title. But not before a little tough love over the next two weeks, as Bozeman must now wait for the tournament to begin after receiving an automatic bid as the East’s No. 2 seed. “Now we’re heading into what I like to call ‘Hell Week,’” Gustavsen said. “We just try and beat ’em up a little bit. … We try and push them mentally and physically a lot farther than we do in the regular season.”
Bozeman won’t play again until the opening round of the State AA tournament at MSU’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse beginning November 10 – 12, where they will take on the West’s No. 3 seed, an opponent that won’t be determined until following state play-in games the first week of November. Bozeman will carry the East’s No. 2 seed despite finishing tied for first place with top-seeded Billings Senior. The Hawks and the Broncs split their conference matches, but Bozeman drew the No. 2 seed as a result of their loss to 2015 runner-up Missoula Sentinel early in the season. Bozeman brings an experienced group to the state tournament, with a roster that includes seven seniors, three of who played extensively on last season’s state title winning team, Allie Lynch Darra Perdaems and Amber Tarabochia. Lynch, the most accomplished of the group recently committed to play for Montana State next fall. Tarabochia, who also starred on Bozeman’s state championship basketball team last winter, is the team’s most versatile player, having played three different positions for the Hawks over the course of her career.
All that experience should bode well for a team looking to repeat after earning their first state title last season. “All the time you put in and the practices are all for this one weekend,” Gustavsen added. “They are hungry, and that’s how I want them. They worked really hard to earn that bye and we will be ready to go in two weeks.” •
