Jimmy Lafakis/MDN Glenburn eighth-grade guard Sophie Bachmeier (purple) shields the ball from Rugby freshman guard Mykell Heidlebaugh (white) during Monday's Region 6 Tournament game at the Minot Municipal Auditorium. Rugby earned a 42-39 victory over Glenburn.

The Rugby Panthers needed to make one last stand.

When the dust settled on Monday evening’s Region 6 Tournament game between District 11 No. 2-seeded Rugby (19-3) and District 12 No. 3-seeded Glenburn (16-7), Rugby hung on because of its late defensive efforts. Critical steals and blocks helped Rugby clinch the 42-39 victory in a battle of the Panthers.

“The first game is all about survival,” Rugby head coach Jen Brossart said. “At this point, how we get a win doesn’t matter. It’s survival. We’ve got a young team, and I thought we did well defensively. We got some big steals in the middle of the fourth quarter that really sealed the deal.”

Defense ruled the roost throughout the contest. After Rugby opened the game with five quick points, Glenburn stifled the offensive attack.

Both student sections were ready to burst into a frenzy at the drop of a hat. Although Rugby clawed back from its offensive struggles, Glenburn held a 21-20 lead at halftime.

“Hats off to Glenburn,” Brossart said. “They played a whale of a game. They brought their ‘A’ game and then some. It was a fun game for a spectator, I suppose. Nerve-wracking, but a great job by the Glenburn Panthers.”

Fighting tooth and nail, Glenburn seized a 29-27 advantage at the end of three quarters. Baskets came at a premium in the final moments.

Rugby junior Brooke Blessum defended the interior with an intense fervor in the fourth quarter. Blessum’s blocks at the rim shifted the game’s tide.

Although Rugby’s defense stood out, the Panthers provided just enough offensive punch. Freshman Mykell Heidlebaugh led the way with a team-high 12 points.

“We kept on battling,” Heidlebaugh said. “We never gave up. We persevered through all the tough times in that game. I’m just really proud of my team for never giving up. Regionals, the first game is always the hardest. We just kept on working hard.”

With 24.1 seconds left, Glenburn called timeout and drew up a play. After missing the ensuing 3-pointer, Glenburn regained possession again after a jump ball.

The final shots didn’t find the bottom of the net. When the final buzzer sounded, every orange-clad Panther in the Minot Municipal Auditorium took a moment to exhale.

“We needed that,” Heidlebaugh said. “Going into regionals, we needed a reality check. I think it was better than having a walk in the park.”

Rugby junior Sarah Blessum also recorded a double-figure scoring total, posting 11 points. Glenburn junior McKenna Rolland dropped a game-high 14 points, while sophomore Lorelei McIver added 11 points.

“Their positivity was huge,” Glenburn head coach Jordan Pederson said. “They played together. It made them easy to coach… They played with emotion and passion.”

Rugby will meet District 12 No. 1-seeded Mohall/Lansford/Sherwood in a 7:30 p.m. semifinal this evening.

“We’ve got to come ready,” Brossart said. “This is the third year in a row where we’ve squared off against MLS in the semifinals. They’re going to want it, and we’ve got to be able to bring it. They’re the team to beat, as far as I’m concerned. We’ve got to get after it.”

Jimmy Lafakis covers Minot High School sports and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JJLII30.