With the month of January winding down, the race is on in girls high school basketball on the Hi-Line.
With the postseason looming, every game becomes critical and this past weekend was no exception.
The week got off to a rough start for a pair of Hi-Line teams as Class B Rocky Boy and Class C Big Sandy both dropped Thursday night nonconference games.
In Malta, the Morning Stars fell to District @B powerhouse Malta, 57-27. The M-Ettes raced out to a 21-5 lead and never let Rocky Boy back in the game. Tennae Singer and Falene Russette each scored seven points in the loss.
Meanwhile, in Fort Benton, the Pioneers were upset by 8C leader Fort Benton 49-35. The first quarter was also tough on the Pioneers as Fort Benton led 12-2. Still, Big Sandy battled back to trail by just one point at halftime, before the Longhorns ripped off an 18-3 run in the final eight minutes to seal the win. Metila Cline scored a team-high 14 points in the loss, while Molly Herron added eight for Big Sandy.
Things didn’t get any easier for the Pioneers on Friday night as they suffered a 51-40 road loss at highly-ranked Roy-Winifred. The Raiders led 33-16 at halftime and never looked back. Mackenzie Jenkins did pour in 19 points for Big Sandy, while teammate Hannah Williams added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Meanwhile, a pair of 9C games took center stage on Friday night. In Box Elder, the 10th-ranked and first-place Bears crushed Hays-Lodge Pole 70-57 behind 22 points from Aricka Wolf Chief. Brandi Buffalo added 16 points and Crystal Stamper chipped in with 12 for the Bears. The Thunderbirds got an astounding game-high 28 points from Kristie Runs Above in the loss.
In another critical 9C showdown, it was the surging Chinook Sugarbeeters who took down North Star 43-32 at North Star. The Beeters held the Knights to just three first-quarter points, but North Star rebounded to tie the game at 18-18 by halftime. But Chinook outscored the Knights 25-14 the rest of the way, and moved into third place in the league standings in the process.
The Beeters got 16 points from Makhayla Farmer and another 15 from Taryn Norby in the win. North Star was paced by Shelby Lipp with 12 points and Jordan Spicher with 11.
In an important District 10C game Friday night, the Chester/J-I Hawks kept their good play going by beating Valier 51-34 in Valier. The Hawks went on a 12-4 run in the third quarter to put the Panthers away. Jenni Ghekiere led three Hawks in double figures with 17 points. Nikole Wolfe added 12 points and Kylie Richter chipped in with 11.
In a big Class B win Friday night, the Harlem Wildcats knocked off Shelby 53-46 in Shelby. The Wildcats led 25-20 at the half and although the two teams played even for the final 16 minutes, it was enough to secure the win. Jacinda Fuller scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Wildcats to the win.
Saturday night saw the Wildcats continue their winning ways with a 54-47 win at home over District 1B rival Cut Bank. Harlem led 29-13 at intermission and rode a strong defensive effort to the win.
Both Jacinda and Maurvella Fuller scored 16 points a piece for the Wildcats, while Hyapatia Getten added 14 points.
In other Class B action, the Rocky Boy Morning Stars picked up a huge 1B win at home against Cascade. Rocky Boy came back from a 41-36 fourth-quarter hole by outscoring the Badgers 15-5 the rest of the way to win 49-46.
Sabrina Laforge scored a team-high 16 points to lead Rocky Boy, while Star Broncho added 12 points and 14 rebounds in the big district win.
Box Elder and Chinook continued the winning ways on Saturday night as well.
The Bears beat Fort Benton 58-46 in Fort Benton. Aricka Wolf Chief scored 18 points for Box Elder, while Brandi Buffalo added 16 points and Rebecca Rosette chipped in with 12 points as Box Elder continued to be one of the elite Class C teams in the area.
The Beeters also capped off a good weekend with a 39-26 win over Nashua in Chinook. Chinook used a 13-4 run in the third quarter to put the Porcupines away. Taryn Norby paced Chinook with 16 points and Kayla Hanson added nine points in the nonconference win.
Meanwhile, C/J-I kept its hold atop the 10C standings with an easy win over Dutton-Brady Saturday night. The Hawks punished the Diamondbacks 58-15 behind 10 points Ghekiere and eight from Larisa Lybeck.
Thursday
Malta 57, Rocky Boy 27
Rocky Boy 5 9 2 11 — 27
Malta 21 16 2 18 — 57
Rocky Boy — Sabrina LaForge 2, Star Broncho 3, Tennae Singer 7, Falene Russette 7, Chanel Standing Rock 3, Leigha Onco 3, Caitlin Gamble 2. Totals: 8 10-19.
Malta — Courtney Henry 14, Jessica Cole 14, Jayla Graham 2, Kori Kindle 11, Katie Czereda 10, Taylor Pankratz 2, Brenna King 1, Krischelle Zwiers 3. Totals: 24 7-11.
Fouls: Rocky Boy 15, Malta 18. Fouled out: Gamble. 3-pointers: Singer, Cole 2.
Fort Benton 49, Big Sandy 35
Big Sandy 2 17 13 3 — 35
Fort Benton 12 8 11 18 — 49
Big Sandy — Hannah Williams 4, MariahGulliskson 6, Katie Owen 1, Mateila Cline 14, Leila Engle 2, Molly Herron 8. Totals: 17 5-16.
Fort Benton — Beth Schuler 12, Deanna Woodhouse 3, Casey Naeseth 6, Kelsey Little 4, Nikki Ferradas 22, Ashley Talbot 2. Totals: 21 10-17.
Fouls: Big Sandy 15, Fort Benton 16. Fouled out: Gulliskson (BS). 3-pointers: Cline 2, Herron 2.
Friday
Harlem 53, Shelby 46
Harlem 15 10 7 21 — 53
Shelby 9 11 5 21 — 46
Harlem — Jevie Doney 3, Jacinda Fuller 20, Kianna Dumas 5, Rikki Horn 4, Maurvella Fuller 9, Hypatia Getten 10, Raelynn Rider 2. Totals: 17 12-21.
Shelby — Katie Hayes 2, Cheyenne Stirling 3, Emily Christiaens 8, Kendra Nickol 6, Connie Miller 2, Jordan Mahr 16, Claire Hooper 2, Sarah Cross 7. Totals 18 8-16.
Fouls: Harlem 14, Shelby 14. Fouled out: Miller (S). 3-pointers: Doney 1, J. Fuller 3, Dumas 1, Horn 1, M. Fuller 1, Christiaens 2.
Box Elder 70, Hays-Lodge Pole 57
HLP 14 15 10 18 — 57
Box Elder 19 9 22 20 — 70
HLP — Anita Denny 10, Kayla Shambo 4, Coco Moore 2, Kallie Martin 7, Shakayla White Cow 6, Kristie Runs Above 28> Totals: 23 7-20.
Box Elder — Brandi Buffalo 16, Megan Parker 9, Crystal Stamper 12, Aricka Wolf Chief 22, Tristan Parisian 4, Rebecca Rosette 5, Shelbi Eagleman 2. Totals: 24 19-27.
Chester/J-I 51, Valier 34
C/J-I 16 9 12 14 — 51
Valier 11 10 4 9 — 34
C/J-I — Stine Haaland 1, Kylie Richter 11, Macky Sanguin 5, Denerey Haaland 1, Nikole Wolfe 12, Kate Graff 8, Jenni Ghekiere 17, Larisa Lybeck 3. Totals: 16 16-27.
Valier — Erin Swanson 8, Abbie Boumans 8, Shaunell Davis 13, Turq Eagle Speaker 1, Marta Habel 4. Totals: 12 9-21.
Fouls: C/J-I 18, Valier 18. Fouled out: Lybeck (CJI), O'Neal (V), Eagle Speaker (V). 3-pointers: Wolfe 3, Habel 1.
Chinook 43, North Star 32
Chinook 10 8 11 14 — 43
North Star 3 15 6 8 — 32
Chinook — Alana Smith 2, Haley Swank 7, Taryn Norby 15, Makhayla Farmer 16, Kayle Hanson 3. Totals: 17 8-19.
North Star — Jordan Spicher 11, Lisa Carlon 4, Taylor Warren 3, Bridjour Han 2, Shelby Lipp 12. Totals: 12 7-19.
Fouls: Chinook 15, North Star 16. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Swank 1, Warren 1.
Roy-Winifred 51, Big Sandy 40
Big Sandy 8 8 8 16 — 40
Roy-Winifred 15 18 4 14 — 51
Big Sandy — Mariah Gullickson 4, Molly Herron 5, Katie Owen 2, MacKenzie Jenkins 19, Hannah Williams 10. Totals: 16 4-6.
Roy-Winifred — Hayley Siroky 3, Arley Knerr 5, Regan Bold 13, Randi Wichman 2, Danyce McClure 17, Alexandra Bold 11. Totals: 19 8-17.
Fouls: Big Sandy 15, Roy-Winifred 12. Fouled out: Owen , McClure. 3-pointers: Jenkins 4, R. Bold 2, McClure 2, A. Bold 1.
Saturday
Harlem 54, Cut Bank 47
Cut Bank 3 10 18 16 —47
Harlem 12 17 7 18 —54
Cut Bank — E. Collins 6, B. Bauer 7, J. Altenburg 2, R. Spencer 12, B. Ball 2, T. Harve 3, B. Gray 2, P. Mazurkiewicz 5, E. Kartcher 2, P. Larson 6. Totals 16 12-22.
Harlem — Jacinda Fuller 16, Kianna Dumas 4, Rikki Horn 2, Maurvella Fuller 16, Hyapatia Getten 14, RaeLynn Rider 2. Totals 20 8-19.
Total fouls — Cut Bank 19, Harlem 17. Fouled out — Ball. Three-point goals — Bauer, Spencer 2, Fuller, Dumas, M. Fuller 2, Getten 2.
Box Elder 58, Fort Benton 46
Box Elder 17 14 14 13 — 58
Fort Benton 4 15 14 13 — 46
Box Elder — Brandi Buffalo 16, Crystal Stamper 6, Aricka Wolf Chief 18, Frankie Raining Bird 2, Rebecca Rosette 12, Shelbi Eagleman 4. Totals: 25 8-17.
Fort Benton — Beth Schuler 9, Deanna Woodhouse 1, Casey Naeseth 2, Miranda Evans 1, Kelsey Little 10, Bailey Hasler 2, Nikki Ferradas 16, Ashley Talbot 5. Totals: 18 12-22.
Fouls: Box Elder 17, Fort Benton 12. Fouled out: Stamper (B). 3-pointers: Schuler 1, Ferradas 1.
Rocky Boy 49, Cascade 46
Cascade 13 16 12 5 — 46
Rocky Boy 9 7 18 15 — 49
Cascade — Kellee Boland 15, Baily Bergstad 1, Chessa Lacluidson 17, Mardee Clarke 5, Darby Dollohar 8. Totals: 19 5-14.
Rocky Boy — Sabrina LaForge 15, Star Broncho 12, Tennae Singer 11, Chanel Standing Rock 2, Leigha Onco 5, Caitlyn Gamble 4. Totals: 19 3-9.
Fouls: Cascade 12, Rocky Boy 14. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Boland 3, LaForge 2, Broncho 2, Singer 3, Onco 1. Technical fouls: Dani Jenkins (C).
Chinook 39, Nashua 26
Nashua 4 7 4 11 — 26
Chinook 6 9 13 11 — 39
Nashua — J. Ramsbacher 2, M. Clampitt 3, M. Sibley 15, C. Rosencrans 2, M. Damon 4. Totals: 6 14-22.
Chinook — Ashley Bower 2, Alana Smith 1, Haley Swank 2, Taryn Norby 16, Brooke Skoyen 2, Makhayla Farmer 5, Kayla Hanson 9, Madison McCann 1, Mikenda Seymour 1. Totals: 13 13-27.
Fouls: Nashua 21, Chinook 18. Fouled out: Ramsbacher (N), McMurry (N), Rosencrans (N). 3-pointers: none.
Chester/J-I 58, Dutton/Brady 15
Dutton/Brady 3 4 8 0 — 15
C/J-I 12 15 16 15 — 58
Dutton/Brady — Amber Reeve 6, Shannon Habel 7, Christa Carter 2. Totals: 4 7-11.
C/J-I — Stine Haaland 6, Macky Sanguin 2, Megan Han 2, Denerey Haaland 3, Nikole Wolfe 5, Brittnee Thee 1, Jimi Sanguin 3, Haley Harmon 3, Kat Graff 7, Jenni Ghekiere 10, Larisa Lybeck 8, Jocelyn Woods 6, Caitlin Jinson 2. Totals: 23 6-11.
Fouls: Dutton/Brady 11, C/J-I 8. Fouled out: none. 3-pointers: D. Haaland 1, Wolfe 1, Harmon 1, Graff 1, Woods 2.
