Hi-Line Girls Roundup: North Star, Fort Benton win key 9C games

High school basketball season has reached the halfway point. And for the girls teams across the Hi-Line, it was an exciting end to the first half the season.

The action started last Thursday as Turner tried to keep pace with Box Elder in the District 9C standings, but, the Tornadoes just couldn’t hang with powerhouse Box Elder, as the Bears won 62-24. Kiya Morsette and Lilly Gopher scored 10 points each for Box Elder, while Rylee Conlan notched seven for the Tornadoes.

In another key 9C game Thursday, the Fort Benton Longhorns took down Chester-Joplin-Inverness 53-24. Coya Knack scored a game-high 18 points for Fort Benton, while Khloe Kamerzell scored 11 for the Hawks.

North Star stepped out of conference on Thursday, hosting the Havre High junior varsity for the second time in two weeks, and, the Blue Ponies again were too tough in a 48-39 win. Havre got a combined 23 points from Kate Compton and Katie Wirtzberger, while Katelyn Hansen scored 12 for the Knights.

The Knights did bounce right back however, as they beat Chinook 45-42 at home on Friday night. The Knights led the close game at halftime, and held the Sugarbeeters off down the stretch. Sheridan Spicher scored 12 points for the Knights, while Sierra Swank had 12 and Brooke Elliot scored 10 for the Beeters.

Turner also had a big win on Friday, as the Tornadoes took care of business against 9C rival Big Sandy. Turner jumped out to a 14-4 lead and never looked back in a 56-26 victory. Ella Billmayer scored 11 for the Tornadoes, but Sarah Billmayer, Raegan Conlan and Rennay Watkins all chipped in with nine. Jaylyn Cline scored eight for the Pioneers.

In non-conference action Friday night, CJI lost a close game to Class B Cut Bank, 59-53. The Hawks had a furious rally, scoring 28 points in the fourth stanza, but it wasn’t enough. Kendahl Knapton poured in 15 points for the Hawks, while Khloe Kamerzell added 11.

Hays-Lodge Pole also came up short Friday night, fall at home to Roy-Winifred, 59-36, despite a 15-point effort from Rayleigh Kirkaldie.

And in a key District 1B showdown Friday, the red-hot Rocky Boy Morning Stars were cooled off by Fairfield. The powerful Eagles outscored Rocky Boy 37-12 in the first half en route to a 73-42 win. In the loss, Adrienne Gopher and Jaylynn Mitchell each scored 13 points, while MSU-Northern commit Allix Goldhahn scored a game-high 27 for the Eagles.

Back in 9C play Saturday night, North Star won its second straight, dominating the Pioneers 59-31 in Big Sandy. Kate Hansen scored 14 points and Sheridan Spicher chipped in with 10 for the Knights, while Jaylyn Cline scored 13 for the Pioneers and Cally Demontiney and Andrea Rutledge each scored seven.

Fort Benton also won its second straight 9C affair, beating Chinook 44-40 on Saturday. The Beeters led 20-15 at halftime, but a 17-8 fourth-quarter run propelled the Longhorns to victory. Coya Knack scored a game-high 16 points for Fort Benton, while Carrie Hofer and Sierra Swank combined for 21 for the Beeters.

Saturday night also saw Box Elder stay perfect in 9C play as the visiting HLP Thunderbirds were no match for the Bears. Box Elder outscored HLP 19-0 in the first quarter on its way to a 68-25 win. Lilly Gopher poured in 20 points and Joelnell Momberg added 10 for the Bears. Rayleigh Kirkaldie scored 14 for the T-Birds.

Thursday

Box Elder 62, Turner 24

Box Elder 19 15 13 15 – 62

Turner 6 10 6 2 – 24

Box Elder: Minnie The Boy 9, Kiya Morsette 10, Nikayla Anderson 6, Eve The Boy 4, Maddie Wolf Chief 2, Lilly Gopher 10, Joelnell Momberg 8, Tia Russell 5, Tai Russell 5, Britney Lafromboise 4. Totals: 27 4-6.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 4, Ella Billmayer 4, Sarah Billmayer 5, Rylee Conlan 7, Rennay Watkins 4. Totals: 10 3-4.

3-pointers: The Boy, Morsette 1, Tia Russell, Tai Russell, S. Billmayer.

Fort Benton 53, CJI 24

CJI 3 8 6 7 – 24

Fort Benton 154 11 9 18 – 53

CJI: Kendahl Knapton 2, Kayona Fraser 1, Abby Fraser 3, Khloe Kammerzell 11, Jasmine Cole 2, Peyton Hawks 5. Totals: 9 2-4.

Fort Benton: Emma Arnst 2, Madison Thompson 7, Lilly Green 2, Megan Clark 4, Coya Nack 18, Alya Evans 11, Leah Gannon 8, McKenna Hanford 2. Totals: 24 3-6.

3-pointers: Kammerzell 3, Hawks, Thompson, Evans, Gannon.

Havre JV 48, North Star 39

Havre JV 7 14 8 19 – 48

North Star 7 13 7 12 – 39

Havre JV: Ryen Olsen 8, Sam Oliver 7, Kassidy Compton 2, Kadia Miller 5, Kate Compton 12, Katie Wirtzberger 11, Kyley Verplogen 1, Lauren Kato 2.

North Star: Katelyn Hansen 12, Paij Peterson 9, Lily Pedersen 5, Katelin Harvey 2, Sheridan Spicher 4, Chelsea Donaldson 2, Peytan King 5.

3-pointers: Olsen, Oliver, Compton 2.

Friday

Turner 56, Big Sandy 26

Big Sandy 4 9 9 4 -- 26

Turner 14 18 16 8 -- 56

Big Sandy – J. Leader 6, A. Rutledge 5, L. Gregory 2, J. Cline 8, C. Bailey 5. Totals: 11 3-13.

Turner – Raegan Conlan 9, Ella Billmayer 11, Sarah Billmayer 9, Rylee Conlan 8, Melanie Watkins 4, Rennay Watkins 9, Shyan Krass 6. Totals: 21 11-20.

Three point goals – Bailey 1, E. Billmayer 1, S. Billmayer 1, Rylee Conlan 1. Total fouls – Big Sandy 19, Turner 17.

North Star 45, Chinook 42

Chinook 10 9 8 15 – 42

NS 9 16 6 14 – 45

Chinook – Swank 12, Hofer 7, Hanson 4, Chaffin 2, Pula 7, Elliot 10.

NS – Hansen 4, Kurtz 1, Peterson 9, Pedersen 6, Harvey, Spicher 12, Donaldson 4, King 6.

3-point goals – Swank.

Fairfield 73, Rocky Boy 42

Fairfield 23 14 18 18 – 73

Rocky Boy 8 4 18 12 – 42

Fairfield – Goldhahn 27, Klinker 22, Rogers 1, Pitcher 4, Johnson 2, Kolste 2, Jones 7, Peterman 2, Maddox 4. Totals 28 13-26 73.

Rocky Boy – J. Gopher 2, Patacsil 5, Henry 2, Coffee 2, Reed 5, A. Gopher 13, Mitchell 13. Totals 16 6-10 43.

3-point goals – Goldhahn 2, Klinker, Pitcher; A. Gopher 4. Total fouls – Fairfield 10, Rocky Boy 15. Fouled out – none.

Cut Bank 59, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 53

Cut Bank 13 17 11 18 — 59

CJI 10 5 10 28 — 53

Cut Bank: M. VandenBos 10, M. Barry 1, K. Salois 2, J. Spotted Bear 15, S. Thies 2, K. Edinger 2, M. Seifert 21, J. Frydenlund 6.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness: J. Tempel 2, Kendahl Knapton 15, Korrin Harmon 9, K. Fraser 4, Khloe Kammerzell 11, Jasmine Cole 3, Peyton Hawks 9.

Roy-Winifred 59, Hays-Lodge Pole 36

Roy-Winifred 16 14 15 14 — 59

HLP 6 9 8 13 — 36

Roy-Winifred: Cassie Smith 3, Jada Goettlich 10, Kaylie Carlstrom 6, Lorianne Stulc 7, Olivia Geer 4, Brietta Boyce 6, Keyara Bohnmiller 12, Dyauni Boyce 11.

HLP: Kiara Shambo 7, Darrellyn Blackwolf 4, Maxine PlainFeather 3, Latasha Kirkaldie 5, Rayleigh Kirkaldie 15, Mulleeah Stiffarm 2.

Saturday

North Star 59, Big Sandy 31

NS 14 19 12 14 – 59

BS 5 8 11 7 – 31

North Star – K. Hansen 14, N. Kurtz 3, H. Kapp 4, P. Petersen7, L. Pedersen 2, K. Harvey 4, S. O’Neil 2, S. Spicher 10, C. Donaldson 4, G. Farinas 9. Totals: 21 11-24.

Big Sandy – J. Leader 3, A. Rutledge 7, C. Demontiney 7, J. Cline 13, C. Bailey 1. Totals: 10 8-19.

3-pointers – Hansen, Rutledge, DeMontiney 2.

Poplar 83, Harlem 74

Harlem 23 21 28 11 -- 74

Poplar 12 17 15 30 -- 83

Harlem – Kailee Henry 13, Kailee Horn 2, Skylee Dirden 21, Halee Mills 4, L’Tia Lawrence 21, Auburn Eagleman 2, Taeshon Scheaffer 4, Jazz Benson 1, Ana Owens 4, Shontelle Talks Differnet 2. Totals: 28 11-18.

Poplar – Alleen Russell 19, Kylee Stump 7, Riley Macdonald 2, Samantha Youngman 12, Jasmine Eder 3, Chloe’ Shields 14, Imani Bighorn 24, Keally Genia 2. Totals: 31 16-19.

Three point goals – Henry 3, Dirden 1, Lawrence 3, Stump 1, Youngman 3, Eder 1. Total fouls – Harlem 15, Poplar 14. Fouled out – Eagleman, Owens. Technical fouls – Harlem Coach.

Fort Benton 44, Chinook 40

Fort Benton 4 11 12 17 -- 44

Chinook 8 12 12 8 -- 40

Fort Benton – K. Bird 5, M. Thompson 5, C. Nack 16, A. Evans 9, L. Gannon 9. Totals: 14 13-24.

Chinook – Sierra Swank 10, Carrie Hofer 11, Kourtney Hanson 6, Rochelle Chaffin 4, Erin Pula 5, Brooke Elliot 4. Totals: 17 4-8.

Three point goals – Thompson 1, Gannon 2, Swank 2. Total fouls – Fort Benton 12, Chinook 16. Fouled out – Elliot.

Box Elder 68, Hays-Lodge Pole 25

HLP 0 8 12 5 -- 25

Box Elder 19 17 10 22 -- 68

HLP -- Kiara Shambo 4, Latasha Kirkaldie 2, Rayleigh Kirkaldie 14, Mulleah Stiffarm 5. Totals: 10 2-5.

Box Elder -- Minnie The Boy 5, Kiya Morsette 6, Nikayla Anderson 8, Eve The Boy 4, Maddie Wolf Chief 2, Lilly Gopher 20, Tia Russell 8, Joelnell Momberg 13, Tai Russell 2. Totals: 29 6-9.

Team fouls: HLP 10, Box Elder 6. Fouled out: none. 3-pointers: R. Kirkaldie 2, Stiffarm, M. The Boy, Tia Russell, Momberg.