By Tiffany L. Rehbein
Senior Sasha Ritter of Big Sandy and sophomore Michelle Van Dyke of Chester were selected to the first team Class C All-state, announced the Montana Coaches' Association.
SRitter helped lead her Big Sandy team to a 26-1 season record, a District 9-C championship trophy, a Northern Divisional No.1 trophy, and a third-place Class C state finish last weekend at Missoula.
SShe averaged 17 points and six assists during the regular season. She also shot 48 percent from two-point land, and 40 percent from 3-point land.
SDuring the divisional championship game against Denton, Ritter scored a season-high 34 points, including four 3-pointers.
SAt the state tournament, Ritter notched 21 points during two different games en route to the third-place finish.
SVan Dyke, just a sophomore, helped lead the Coyotes to a 19-1 record through the District 10-C tournament.
SThe Coyotes, the No. 1 seed from the 10-C, were defeated 52-48 by the Denton Trojans in the divisional semifinal game, and could not challenge to go to the state tournament. Chester finished third in the division with a 22-2 record.
SFive-foot-10 Van Dyke was a scoring threat throughout the season, notching a season-high 27 points on Oct. 16 against Heart Butte.
SJamie Graham, a Chester sophomore, and Kristi Upham, a Big Sandy junior, were named to the second team.
SGraham, a power forward for the Coyotes, was a team leader, but sat out due to a hand injury much of the last half of the season.
SWhen she returned at divisional tournament time, Graham notched 15, 12, and 17 points, respectively, in the first three tournament games.
SUpham proved to be a constant threat for the Pioneers.
SIn the three wins at the State Class C tournament, Upham tallied 12, 16, and 11 points, respectively.
SJuniors Celeste and Eryn Darlington of Big Sandy, and sophomore Maci Tempel of Chester were each named honorable mention.
