WHITEFISH — For 16 minutes, the Butte Central girls had the look of a basketball team about to extend its season this morning at the Western A Divisional tournament.

In the second half, though, the Ronan Maidens and something else to say about that.

Ronan turned up the heat after the break, and the Maidens turned a 15-14 lead into a 56-30 victory in a loser-out game at Whitefish High School. The loss ends the season at 7-15 for the young Maroons.

Ronan (12-8) moves onto another loser-out game on Saturday. The Maidens will play the loser of tonight’s semifinal game between Columbia Falls and Frenchtown with a trip to next week’s Class A State tournament in Billings on the line.

Nine different Maidens scored in the balanced Ronan attack. Junior Nevaeh Perez tossed in 11 points to lead the way. Sophomores Kailyn Marengo and Zailee Hewankorn each scored eight, senior Ally Luedtke scored seven, and senior Kaylee Kelch netted six

Marengo, Luedtke and Kelch did all their scoring in the second half.

Three freshmen did all the scoring for the Maroons. Kenzie McQueary tossed in 14 points to lead the way. Zayonna Otherbull scored 11, and Evyn Smith tallied five.

Junior Arika Smith, sophomores Rylee Forbes, Marly Mansanti and Meika Boyer and freshmen Braelynn Schelin and Jaedyn Maldonado also contributed for the Maroons.

Junior Caden Tippett and freshmen Natalie Osterman and Cambri Campbell also made the trip for the Maroons. Campbell was the alternate.

The Maroons won a pair of play-in games to advance to the Divisional tournament under third-year head coach Quinn Carter.

BUTTE CENTRAL (7-15) — Evyn Smith 2 0-0 5, Kenzie McQueary 3 8-11 14, Zayonna Otherbull 4 1-4 11, Rylee Forbes 0 0-0 0, Arika Stajcar 0 0-0 0, Marly Mansanti 0 0-0 0, Braelynn Schelin 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Maldonado 0 0-0 0, Meika Boyer 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 9-15 30.
RONAN (12-8) — Kailyn Marengo 3 0-0 8, Lauryn Buhr 0 3-4 3, Ally Luedtke 3 1-2 7, Arianna Zepeda 2 0-0 4, Kylee Kelch 3 0-0 6, Neveah Perez 5 1-2 11, Maddy Ellig 2 0-0 6, Bailee Woll 0 0-0 0, Natalie Adams 0 3-4 3, Zailee Hewankorn 3 1-2 8. Totals 21 9-14 56.
Central           5          9          5          11 — 30         
Ronan             6          9          20        21 — 56
3-point goals — BC 3 (Otherbull 2, Smith), Ronan 5 (Marengo 2, Ellig 2, Hewankorn).  Fouls — BC 11, Ronan 12. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.