Rangers can't corral junior standout DeonDray Ellis as East Helena uses 26-5 run to win on Ranger Rush Night.

Lady Rangers lose a heartbreaker in final minute as Lady Vigilantes outscore them 18-6 in fourth quarter.

Park High Ranger Isaac Ramirez is surrounded by East Helena players on Tuesday night at Park High in Livingston as the Rangers fell 60-40 to the Vigilantes.

By: Jeff Schlapp

Thanks to Mother Nature and the closure of I-90 due to high winds, I sat in traffic for 2.5 hours coming into Livingston and didn’t arrive at the Park High gym in Livingston until 6:35 pm. The score was all tied at 14 between the Rangers and East Helena Vigilantes with 6:35 showing on the scoreboard in the second quarter.

As a result of my travel adventure, I was told by famed photographer Michael Kokot that I had missed Isaac Ramirez (15 points) nailing three-pointer after three-pointer, three of em in total as the Rangers raced out to a 14-7 lead.

But the Vigilantes had caught up to the Rangers as I settled into my spot near the visitor’s bench along the baseline. I was shocked as I looked around the gym and smiled - the fans had come out in droves for Ranger Rush. Along with the Community Band and the PHS Students, they filled almost every seat in the lower stands of the gym. Each of the fans was adorned in Ranger Rush t-shirts (designed and created by Viki Petry owner of Mountain Air Apparel) showing off their pride and love for the Rangers.

The crowd was estimated to be over 600, including friends Luke Jergenson and Tim Sundling and PHS baseball coach (and First Interstate Bank President) Ryan Anderson. Announcers for the boys’ game were Bruce Dad Joke Lay and for the girl’s Booster Club President Brooke Weimer.

And, Ben Sandlot Cipriani was in the house, duly announced by Bruce Lay.

PHS Band members MacKenna O’Dea (3rd from the left front row), Augie Stern, and Finn Schretenthaler (2nd row on the left) join with community band members during Ranger Rush Night on Tuesday at Park High in Livingston.