Isaac Bedway, Ebe Grabow and Astrid McGuire selected to District 5B rosters
By Jack Reaney ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lone Peak High School’s basketball programs moved up to Montana Class B this season, generally facing a higher level of competition against larger schools. Even with higher hurdles, three Big Horns shined bright enough to catch the eyes of coaches in Lone Peak’s District 5B.
From the varsity boys, junior Isaac Bedway and sophomore Ebe Grabow earned two of the 13 spots on their all-conference team.
“I am excited that both Isaac and Ebe’s efforts were recognized and rewarded by the coaches in District 5B with their all-conference selections,” head coach Al Malinowski stated in a press release to EBS.
The Big Horns finished their Class B debut with a 7-14 record, but they came together in time to pull off a playoff upset victory. In the Big Horns’ first-ever Class B playoff win, Bedway went bananas: he scored 23 of the team’s 41 points, including free throws with 0.4 seconds to put the game on ice. The Big Horns would not advance further in the district tournament.
In the regular season, Bedway averaged 15.1 points per game and led the team in average rebounds (8.2) and blocks (1.9)—he was previously tied with 2023 graduate Max Romney for most blocks in a single season (25), but smashed that record with 39 this year. Bedway knocked down 42 three-pointers this season and became third on Lone Peak’s single-season 3-point shooting record.
With 632 career points through his junior year—Bedway did not attend LPHS as a freshman—he now ranks sixth all-time for Lone Peak scoring.
Ebe Grabow, a sophomore, is not far behind with 539 points, good for 10th in LPHS history entering his junior year.
He led the team in scoring this season, averaging 15.7 points per game, and assists, with 53. He scored 103 two-pointers, the fifth most in a single season for Lone Peak.
He led the team in charges taken, and free throw opportunities—Grabow shot 67.5% from the charity stripe, netting 54 points with 80 opportunities.
“Both Ebe and Isaac were instrumental in our run to State in Class C a year ago,” coach Malinowski stated. Last season, the Big Horns held an 18-12 record in Class C, reaching the state tournament for the first time in LPHS history. “With the graduation of four seniors from that team, Isaac and Ebe brought valuable postseason experience to this year’s team, but had to adjust to more prominent roles, knowing that they would now be at the top of our opponent’s scouting report.
“I am proud of them for what they have accomplished and look forward to them continuing to develop their leadership roles for next year’s team.”
A team leader, McGuire earns a nod
Senior Astrid McGuire led her team in all offensive categories—including a tie for most rebounds (116) with fellow senior Vera Grabow. She scored 192 regular season points, averaging 10.7 per game and ranking eighth in Lone Peak’s District 5B.
McGuire also had 31 assists, 34 steals and 16 blocks in her senior season, one which required her leadership on a young team with only one other senior, two juniors, and 11 combined sophomores and freshmen.
Being Astrid’s father, head coach John McGuire abstained from the all-conference vote. He commended her on the recognition.
“I am incredibly proud and happy for Astrid for this well-earned honor,” McGuire stated in a press release. “Astrid started playing basketball at Lone Peak as an inexperienced freshman, and her achievements throughout high school and in particular this past season are the result of a ton of hard work and commitment to the school, the team and her teammates. It’s a real honor to be recognized by the other coaches in the District.”
Astrid plans to play soccer at Bowdoin College when she enrolls next fall.
Coach McGuire wrote that Astrid’s defense was at the top of District 5B, and remarked upon by other coaches. She would defend the opponents’ toughest players, and she was consistently double-teamed on offense.
He also noted Astrid’s strong performance in the District 5B tournament, in which the Big Horns took No. 2-ranked “powerhouse” Manhattan High School into overtime “in the team’s best performance of the season and what would have been the biggest upset of the tournament,” according to McGuire.
“It was awesome to see the entire arena rooting for us to upset Manhattan when we pushed them to overtime, and the team’s performance in the district tournament reflected the excellent growth and progress achieved by the girls through the course of the season,” coach McGuire stated.
He added his excitement for the bright future of the team, including his belief that many future players will earn similar accolades.
Being recognized in Montana Class B isn’t easy.
Coach Malinowski wrote that schools in Class B range in enrollment size from 100 to 300 students. He gave numbers to compliment Lone Peak’s performance, including the players who gained all-conference honors.
“LPHS currently has an enrollment of 112 students, which makes it the smallest of the seven schools or cooperatives that make up District 5B,” Malinowski wrote. “Compared to the Fall enrollment numbers reported to [the Montana Office of Public Instruction] for all high schools, LPHS is in the bottom 20% for student enrollment of the 46 schools that comprised the 45 teams—Whitehall and Willow Creek [share] the only cooperative—that participated in Class B this season.”
Both teams shared a young core, and coaches expressed excitement for their development when high school basketball returns next season.
