Daniel Shepard

HELENA — Ella McCarthy, almost instinctually, fired her final regular-season crosstown kill toward open court, to the right of Helena Capital blocker Sara White, past two additional Bruins defenders, and into the record books solidifying the senior’s undefeated rivalry career.

When McCarthy landed, Helena High’s 3-1 (25-19, 25-15, 23-25, 25-18) road triumph secured, she turned with clenched fists and an arched back firing off a celebratory scream. Sophomore teammate Lauryn Lieberg was the first to embrace McCarthy, doing so as their jubilant peers surrounded them on Capital’s yellow and brown mid-court logo.

“I just looked at my team and it was just like, this is my last crosstown with them,” McCarthy said. “I wanted it so bad. Avery set me, I was just like, ‘OK, just go

See Full Page