
Annie Smith
hunter howard driving the ball.
In a hard-fought battle that had fans on the edge of their seats, the Palisade Bulldogs fell just short to the Montrose Red Hawks, losing 45-43 in a nail-biting overtime finish. The Bulldogs had control for most of the game, leading 21-5 at halftime, but the Red Hawks mounted a strong comeback in the second half, eventually edging out Palisade in overtime. Junior Hunter Howard, who scored 19 points for the Bulldogs, reflected on the loss, saying, “We went into the third quarter with a big head, and as we slowed down, they fired up.” Howard’s standout performance was even more impressive considering the injury concerns he had leading up to the game. “I played really well for a rough week hurting my ankle. I was scared, wondering if I was going to play, but I’m glad I did,” he added. Despite the Bulldogs’ early success, the Red Hawks fought back in the second half, capitalizing on turnovers and finding their rhythm on offense. With the game tied 38-38 in overtime, Montrose managed to score 7 points, while Palisade could only manage 5, securing the victory by two points and leaving the Bulldogs with an upsetting loss.Though disappointed, the Bulldogs are looking to learn from this tough defeat. Their strong first-half performance proves they have the potential, but they’ll need to maintain their intensity and finish strong in future games.