George Ferguson
Havre Daily News Sports Editor
gferguson@havredailynews.com
The high school volleyball season is now deep into its third month of action, and it was an exciting week across the Hi-Line as teams in the District 6C battle for the regular-season championship.
On Saturday, the top two teams in the district went head-to-head in Chester as the undefeated Chester/J-I Hawks hosted the Chinook Sugarbeeters.
The two teams have been on a collision course all season, and it was the Beeters who would not be denied Friday. Despite Chester/J-I's previous perfect record, Chinook swept the Hawks in three games, by scores of 27-25, 25-22 and 25-16.
The Beeters got an outstanding night from Georgia Barber. The senior recorded 10 kills and seven blocks to lead the way. Kassie Dugan also chipped in with 10 kills. Chester/J-I was paced by Jacki Alisch with five kills.
The loss loosened the Hawks' grip on first place in the District 6C standings, although they came back and easily defeated Hays-Lodge Pole later in the day.
It was a very good weekend for the Beeters all the way around. Chinook also knocked off Class B powerhouse and former District 2B rival Malta in four games on Thursday night. On Friday, the Beeters easily took care of Rocky Boy.
Meanwhile, the Stars picked up an important district win over Box Elder on Thursday night.
Friday night also saw North Star High School earn a win over the Bears, but the Knights turned around and dropped a tough match at Sunburst on Saturday.
Big Sandy also picked up an important win this weekend. The Pioneers came into the weekend in third place in the district, and on Saturday they dispatched fourth-place Valier in three games.
Thursday
At Chinook
Chinook def. Malta
25-9, 22-25, 28-26, 25-23
Malta - Kills 39 (Katie Lowery 12); Aces 4 (Brittany Berg 2); Digs 37 (Berg 29); Blocks 7 (Berg 3); Assists 27 (Sara King 25).
Chinook - Kills 44 (Georgia Barber 9); Aces 17 (Dawn Kellam 5); Digs 90 (Crystal Roseberry 22); Blocks 12 (Erin Eslick 4, Kassie Dugan 4); Assists 34 (Roseberry 33).
At Rocky Boy
Rocky Boy def. Box Elder
25-20, 27-25, 20-25, 25-17
Rocky Boy - Aces 18 (Dashawn Whitford 7, Tori belcourt 5); Kills 14 (Whitford 4, Loni Belcourt 4); Digs 49 (April Webster 16); Blocks 6 (Belcourt 4).
Box Elder - Not Statistics reported.
Friday
At Box Elder
North Star def. Box Elder
25-18, 25-22 and 25-9
North Star - Kills 22 (Jourdan Han 4, Tia Pester 4); Assists 16 (Shea Haugen 9); Digs 11 (Pester 3, Tiarelle Warren 3); Aces 12 (Kendra Donoven 4, Angel Grant 2).
Box Elder - No statistics reported.
At Rocky Boy
Chinook def Rocky Boy
25-13, 25-15, 25-7
Chinook - Kills 32 (Dawn Kellam 9); Aces 21 (Megan Obie 6); Digs 30 (Jaque McMaster 6); Blocks 2 (Obie 1, Cheyenne Hamilton 1); Assists 25 (Crustal Roseberry 22).
Rocky Boy - Kills 7 (Tori Belcourt 6); Aces 5 (Loni Belcourt 2); Digs 27 (April webster 9); Blocks 7 (T. Belcourt 5); Assists 2 (Rainbow Stump 2).
Saturday
At Chester
Chinook def. Chester/Joplin-Inverness
27-25, 25-22, 25-16
Chinook - Kills 36 (Kassie Dugan, Georgia Barber 10 each); Assists 32 (Crystal Roseberry 31); Aces 9 (Dawn Kellam 3); Digs 44 (Erin Eslick 11); Blocks 11 (Barber 7)
C/J-I - Kills 23 (Jackie Alisch 5); Assists 17 (Amanda Violett 7); Aces 11 (Hannah Pimley 5); Digs 25 (Keyla Briese 7); Blocks 14 (Pimley 5)
Chester/Joplin-Inverness def. Hays-Lodge pole
25-4, 25-8, 25-3
C/J-I - Kills 20 (Brianne Wolfe 7); Assists 17 (Keyla Briese 12); Aces 32 (Jackie Alisch 8, Briese 8); Digs 1 (Brianne Wolfe); Blocks 1 (Ashley Martin)
At Sunburst
Sunburst def. North Star
25-19, 23-25, 22-25, 25-12, 16-14
North Star - Kills 27 (Natasha Dyrland 14), Assists 24 (Megan Warren 19), Aces 13 (Maia Aageson 4), Digs 26 (Courtney Wendland 7), Blocks 4 (Dyrland 4).
Sunburst - Kills 50 (Kallie Johansen 14), Assists 36 (Kendra Hovland 24), Aces 12 (Hovland 5), Digs 58 (Johansen 12), Blocks 13 (Darcey Johansen 5).
At Big Sandy
Big Sandy def. Valier
25-20, 25-20, 25-17
Valier - no stats available
Big Sandy - Kills 42 (Shalayna Pearson 14), Assists 37 (Kacy Herron 36), Aces 10 (Shersteen Cline 4), Digs 26 (Jessica Amsbaugh 6), Blocks 6 (Cline 2, Pearson 2).
