MONTROSE - I've watched plenty of exciting games in the past six or seven weeks covering Susco basketball, but the Elk Lake at Montrose game Thursday night may have been the most entertaining  game I've seen thus far.

The atmosphere at the Crater was electric, standing room only as people peered in from the doorways trying to catch a glimpse of the action. 

Both student sections were a good kind of rowdy cheering their classmates on. With the Meteor marching band in the stands providing good beats during timeouts. It was just a fun place to be on a Thursday evening in February.

The two teams traded blows all night, with multiple lead changes and scoring spurts littered throughout the first three quarters. When the dust settled, the Warriors were victorious 71-61.

In a great show of sportsmanship to start the game, Hudson Aukema controlled the opening tip and passed ahead to his cousin Conner Flynn, who laid it in unopposed as the injured Meteor got to have his moment on senior night.

Montrose allowed Heitsman to score a layup without defenders guarding him to even things up at 2-2. From there out it was a slugfest to the delight of the crowd.

Logan Ayotte had a great look on an assist to Heitsman to make it 4-2, sophomore Jai Herman evened things up with a bucket.

Noah Gesford would bury three pointer on back to back Warrior possessions, giving them the six point lead. Senior Jack Russell hit both free throws to make it 10-6.

Chase Pond nailed a three and a 15 foot jumper to quickly extend the lead to nine. Russell answered with a three, Herman converted a free throw to make it 15-10 with 3:01 to play in the first.

Pond connected on another jumper, before Hudson Aukema handed out an assist to fellow senior Lukas Cokely. Russell grabbed a rebound on the defensive end and took it the length of the court for a layup, making it 17-14.

Heitsman sank one from behind the arc, Aukema put an exclamation point on an exciting first quarter converting an and one to end the frame. After eight minutes of play it was 20-17 Elk Lake.

Cokely hit a three to start the second quarter, tying things at 20 apiece. Connor Stephens grabbed one of his 10 rebounds off the bench and scored to get the Warriors back on top.

Cokely buried a step back three moments later to put the Meteors up by a point. Gesford found Heitsman open for a three 16 seconds later, Warriors back up by two.

Stephens kicked an offensive rebound out to Pond who drilled another three, making it 28-23. Aukema had a great finish on the other end, followed by a bucket from Russell. With 4:50 to go in the first half it was 28-27 Warriors.

Ayotte hit a jumper from the top of the key, then found Pond with an assist for another triple to get the lead up to six points.

Montrose responded with a 7-0 spurt, Cokely scored first on a nice baseline finish, Russell banged another shot from downtown, then Aukema had another great look, finding Kasey Carey for the easy layup, Meteors back up by one with 1:55 to go.

Ayotte converted a pair of free throws, Warriors up one. Russell finished a great take in the lane, Montrose plus one.

Pond splashed a three ball to get Elk Lake back up by two, but Russell connected on a shot from about six feet beyond the arc as time expired in the half, putting the Meteors up 39-38 at the break.

Cokely scored the first bucket of the second half, then Gesford found Heitsman with a nice inbounds pass to cut the deficit to one again.

Herman made a three, to make the score 44-40. Gesford dished out assists to Heitsman on back to back possessions, first on a three and then a two point field goal. Warriors are back up by one.

Cokely threaded the needle on a bounce pass to Russell who laid it in, getting fouled in the process. He would make the free throw to complete the three point play, Meteors up by two.

Gesford swished another three pointer, Warriors up one. Cokely put Montrose back up by one, scoring on a nice move in the lane with 2:52 to ply in the third.

Russell extended the lead to three, finishing a nice take of his own. Pond tied it up draining a three moments later.

Elk Lake scored the next eight points to close the third. Kendel Jones scored five, Stephens added two and Pond got one from the line. After three quarters of play it was 59-51 Elk Lake.

Montrose cut the lead to three, scoring the first five points of the fourth quarter. Russell hit a bucket and a free throw, Herman took a steal coast to coast for a layup.

Ayotte got the lead back to five with a great take and finish, before Herman made it a two point game draining a clutch three pointer.

The Warriors tallied the next 10 points to put the game away. Ayotte scored the first four, Pond added the next four and Heitmans provided the last two.

Herman scored the final basket of the night. When the buzzer sounded it was Elk Lake taking home the 71-61 victory.

Elk Lake senior Noah Gesford had this to say after the game, "This is a great rivalry, we really play each other tough every time. Our guys came out and executed on the offensive end, worked through some struggles on the defensive end but got the job done....can't wait for playoffs"

The Warriors were led with a 24 point effort from Pond, he also had two rebounds and a pair of steals. Heitsman tallied 19 points, five boards, an assist and a steal.

Ayotte finished with 10 points, six assists, three caroms and a steal. Gesford added nine points, eight assists, four rebounds and a steal.

Jones contributed with five points and a pair of boards, Stephens had a game high 10 rebounds and chipped in with four points.

Montrose senior Jack Russell scored a game high 26 points had these comments on senior night. "The atmosphere was crazy, every bucket there was fans cheering obviously, it was a great game, a lot of intensity."

I asked what it said about his team being able to slug it out with the Warriors even without fellow senior Conner Flynn. "A lot of guys stepped up, I'm really proud of them."

Russell added seven boards and two assists to his game leading 26 points. Cokely finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and a steal.

Herman was also in double figures, scoring 11 points to go with three rebounds. Aukema tallied five points five boards, and three assists. Carey and Flynn each chipped in with two points.

Elk Lake head coach John Warnero had this to say about his team's league championship season. "Really proud of these boys and honestly so happy for them. They bought into what we are aiming to do, which is focus on what we can control and play hard, play smart, and play together."

"I believe every night they put a product on the floor that our community can be proud of and get behind and root for. We've been blessed to be on the right side of the scoreboard quite a few times, but most importantly I feel like we've all become better people through the power of the ball."